Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: Rain plays spoilsport yet again as visitors end Day 3 on 282-6 after playing just 5.2 overs

Rawalpindi: Pakistan’s first home test in a decade was further spoiled by bad weather on Friday, with only 5.2 overs bowled on a rain-hit day three against Sri Lanka. [caption id=“attachment_7779851” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Groundkeepers work to remove water from covers following overnight heavy rainfalls during the third day of the Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. AP[/caption] Play was finally called off at 3.35 pm local time, with the Sri Lankans on 282-6 having added 19 runs to its overnight total without losing a wicket. No play was possible in the first session, which ground staff spent clearing overnight rainwater off the covers with wipers and attempting to dry the outfield under thick cloud coverage over the Pindi Cricket Stadium. Play resumed after lunch but a crowd of around 2,000 spectators only saw 27 minutes of action before the umpires took the players off the field because of bad light. Dhananjaya de Silva moved to 87 while Dilruwan Perera was unbeaten on 6. Bad weather has so far allowed 91.5 overs in the test, the first in Pakistan since 2009. Only 18.2 overs were bowled on Thursday. Sri Lanka was the last team to play a test match in Pakistan, when terrorists attacked the touring team’s bus in Lahore in March 2009. The ambush killed eight people and left several Sri Lankan players and officials injured. In the interim, Pakistan has played its home test matches on neutral territory, mostly in the United Arab Emirates. While the ground staff were working hard in the morning to clear away the water, Pakistan players Naseem Shah, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Asad Shafiq walked around the stadium as fans cheered. The players came close to the fence, shook hands with fans and took selfies with them.