By Qaiser Mohammad Ali
IANS
Dhaka : A big question mark hung over the timely start of the second India-Bangladesh Test here Friday after it rained heavily Thursday and then it turned into a steady drizzle, though the curator remained optimistic.
After lightning, suddenly it seemed as if there was a cloudburst as it rained heavily in the evening. It stopped briefly and again started. It then turned into a persistent, heavy drizzle as dark clouds continued to hover over Dhaka.
This was in stark contrast to the weather earlier in the day when the sun shone brightly, though it was hot and humid.
Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium curator Badiul Alam Khokon, however, banking on the "excellent" drainage system to flush the water out quickly.
"This rain will not matter because the drainage system at the stadium is an excellent one," Khokon told IANS.
"Even if it rains more tonight, it will take just one or two hours to make the ground ready," he said optimistically.
Rain and lightning continued well after Khokon's assertion that the ground would be ready quickly to host its first Test match. The stadium in Mirpur on the outskirts of the city, however, has hosted One-Day Internationals.
The first Test in Chittagong was also badly affected and more than two days of play was lost to rains and poor visibility. Predictably, the match ended in a draw.
A Dhaka resident said it was the season's heaviest rain in the Bangladesh capital.