Heavy rain and thunderstorms expected to disrupt play at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium during the second Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan.
An undated picture of Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. - BCBSYLHET: According to the latest weather forecast, heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms is anticipated to significantly impact play on the opening day of the second Test match between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from May 16 to 20. The conditions are expected to remain unsettled across the first four days of the match.
The morning session is forecasted to be humid and unstable, with rain and thunderstorms likely. Temperatures will hover around 30°C, but the "feels like" temperature could reach up to 36°C due to high humidity levels. South-easterly winds are expected at a speed of approximately 9 km/h, with gusts reaching up to 26 km/h. Cloud cover is predicted to be as high as 95%, and there's an estimated probability of precipitation of around 89%. Visibility could drop to nearly 5 km, while the dew point of 24°C will contribute to muggy conditions.
During the afternoon, conditions are expected to remain mostly cloudy following early thunderstorms. The maximum temperature may rise to 32°C, with a "feels like" temperature reaching up to 39°C. Thunderstorms are forecasted to occur at moderate levels (53%) and will continue to be heavy with cloud cover around 88%. The UV index is expected to reach a moderate level of 4. Winds will remain from the south-east at 9 km/h, gusting up to 26 km/h, while approximately 11.7 mm of rainfall is predicted over nearly 2.5 hours.
In the first Test match, Bangladesh made history by defeating Pakistan by 104 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. The visitors were well-placed with Abdullah Fazal and Salman Ali Agha at the crease, but a dismissal triggered a collapse as Pakistan lost six wickets for just 44 runs in 21 overs. Bangladesh's innings was powered by Najmul Hossain Shanto's century and Mominul Haque's 91 runs. Pakistan responded with an impressive debut hundred from Azan Awais and contributions from Abdullah Fazal and Mohammad Rizwan.
The victory lifted Bangladesh to sixth position in the ICC World Test Championship standings with 16 points and a win percentage of 44.44 after three matches, while Pakistan slipped to seventh with 12 points and a win percentage of 33.33 after one win and two defeats from their three fixtures.
The weather conditions at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium are expected to continue to pose challenges for the players throughout the match, potentially impacting Bangladesh's chances of maintaining their momentum and Pakistan's efforts to bounce back from their first defeat.
