When a 7-foot snake halts match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - watch

The first ODI between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo was halted when a 7-foot snake slithered onto the field.

As per reports, the incident occurred in the third over of Bangladesh’s run chase, just as pacer Asitha Fernando was preparing to deliver his fourth ball. Players quickly alerted officials after spotting the huge snake near the point boundary. The development prompted immediate intervention by the ground staff.

Subsequently, the snake was swiftly removed by the security and maintenance crews. The match resumed after a brief delay. No players or officials were harmed in the incident.

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The visual of the match delayed by the snake quickly went viral over various social media platforms with fans dubbing it another chapter in the long-standing 'Naagin Derby'. It is  a cheeky term referencing the sometimes tense and theatrical cricketing rivalry between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

A Snake appeared on the field during the 1st Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Today. Who knows it might be Shakib Al Hasan who came in the form of snake to witness his team playing against their rivals Sri Lanka pic.twitter.com/0kqUqvXvWP

— Aryan Goel (@Aryan42832Goel) July 2, 2025

Clips showing the umpires halting play and players backing away have been widely shared across various social media platforms.

Notably , these kinds of incidents have also earlier happened during some matches in Sri Lanka.