Sri Lanka sets 275-run target as New Zealand loses early wicket
- Sri Lanka resumed play at 237-4 and lost their last six wickets, with Ajaz Patel taking six for 90.
- New Zealand's Devon Conway was dismissed for four runs, leaving them at 13-1 at lunch on day four.
- The match is being played behind closed doors due to a nationwide curfew during the presidential elections.
On day four of the first Test in Galle, Sri Lanka set New Zealand a target of 275 runs. The match resumed with Sri Lanka at 237-4, but they quickly lost their remaining wickets, with Ajaz Patel taking six wickets for 90 runs, marking the best bowling figures by a New Zealander in Sri Lanka since 1998. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Angelo Mathews contributed 40 and 50 runs respectively before being dismissed. As the New Zealand innings began, they faced an early setback when opener Devon Conway was bowled out for just four runs by seamer Asitha Fernando. Sri Lanka nearly capitalized on this momentum with a chance to dismiss Tom Latham, but wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis could not hold onto a sharp edge. New Zealand ended the lunch break at 13-1, needing 262 runs to win. The match is being played behind closed doors due to a nationwide curfew imposed during the presidential elections in Sri Lanka, which also led to a rest day on Saturday. The curfew is a precautionary measure to ensure safety during the electoral process. As the game progresses, Sri Lanka's bowlers will aim to maintain pressure on New Zealand, who will need to regroup after losing an early wicket. The outcome of this match is crucial for both teams, as they seek to establish dominance in the series.