By Qaiser Mohammad Ali
IANS
Dhaka : It rained here heavily Thursday evening to put a question mark over timely start to the second India-Bangladesh Test Friday, though the curator was hopeful that the stadium's excellent drainage system would flush rainwater out quickly.
Heavy rains stopped after about 20-25 minutes, but dark clouds continued to hover over the city. This was in stark contrast to the weather earlier in the day when the sun shone brightly, though it was quite humid.
Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium curator Badiul Alam Khokon said that the drainage would come to his aid in flushing out the rainwater.
"This rain will not matter because the drainage system at the stadium is excellent," Khokon told IANS soon after the rain.
"Even if it rains more tonight, it will take just one or two hours to make the ground ready," he said optimistically.
The first Test in Chittagong was badly affected and more than two days of play was lost to rain. The match ended in a predictable draw.
It will be the first Test match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in the Mirpur area on the outskirts of the city.
A Dhaka resident said it was the season's heaviest rain in the Bangladesh capital.