Rain disrupts historic Afghanistan-New Zealand Test in Greater Noida
Heavy rain continued to disrupt the one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand, leading to the abandonment of the fourth day’s play at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Stadium in Greater Noida on Thursday. Overnight downpours left several areas of the ground waterlogged, prompting match officials to call off the day’s proceedings early in the morning due to the unplayable conditions. Despite the efforts of the ground staff, who worked tirelessly to prepare the field, the persistent rain and wet outfield pose the threat of a complete washout of the Test.
Background of historic Test match
This Test match marks a significant milestone for both teams, as it is their first-ever Test encounter. Afghanistan’s journey in international cricket has been characterized by impressive resilience and rapid progress. However, political instability and security concerns have made it challenging for international teams to visit Afghanistan. As a result, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has had to seek alternative venues to ensure their team can continue competing at the highest level.
India, with its strong diplomatic and cricketing ties to Afghanistan, has provided a solution. Since 2015, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has played a crucial role in supporting Afghanistan’s cricketing ambitions by offering access to its world-class venues.
The Greater Noida Sports Complex ground was selected for this historic fixture, adding to the excitement. Afghanistan has hosted several Twenty20 and one-day internationals at Greater Noida since 2017. This is only Afghanistan’s 10th Test match since they gained Test status in 2017. Expectations were high leading up to the match, but weather conditions unexpectedly disrupted the scheduling and preparations.
Why no play for 4 days?
Day 1 of the Test match was abandoned due to a wet outfield, despite favorable weather conditions. Although the sun was shining, the inadequate drainage system prevented the field from drying properly, frustrating both players and fans. Ground staff made several attempts to prepare the playing surface, even cutting a portion of grass from the net-practice area, but their efforts proved insufficient as the umpires deemed the surface unsafe for play.
Day 2 faced similar challenges, with the outfield still unfit for play. Despite no additional rain during the day, overnight showers left the field in a poor state, further complicated by heavy rainfall over the previous days. Multiple inspections were conducted, with the final one scheduled for 3:00 PM local time, but conditions failed to improve, resulting in the day’s play being called off.
On Day 3, persistent rain and a waterlogged outfield at the Greater Noida Sports Complex led to an early abandonment of play. A downpour the previous evening, lasting two to three hours, followed by another early morning rain on Wednesday, prompted umpires Sharfuddoula and Kumar Dharmasena to cancel the day’s proceedings by 9:15 AM, ahead of the scheduled 9:30 am start.
Day 4 of the Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand has also been abandoned due to persistent rain and the weather conditions remain unfavourable. With four days of play already lost, we now wait to see if any cricket can be played on the final day.
Tim Southee inspecting the pitch with match referee Javagal Srinath. Source: Getty Images
In the past decade, there have been three previous instances where play was abandoned:.
Throughout the history of men’s cricket, seven Tests have been abandoned without a ball being bowled. The most recent of these occurred in 1998 in Dunedin, between India and New Zealand.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) acknowledged the setback of the Afghanistan vs New Zealand Test but remains committed to hosting future matches at the venue.
While this match is not part of the World Test Championship cycle, it presents a valuable opportunity for both teams. New Zealand are favored to win, with Kane Williamson boasting an impressive Test average of 68.57 this year. Afghanistan, on the other hand, are already at a disadvantage without their star spinner, Rashid Khan.
For New Zealand, this Test serves as a chance to acclimatize to subcontinent conditions ahead of their upcoming series against Sri Lanka and India. Having lost their last two Tests against Australia, New Zealand will be looking for redemption. Tim Southee will lead the team as they embark on their subcontinent tour, which includes two Tests in Sri Lanka followed by three Tests against India.
Afghanistan, having played two one-off Tests this year in different countries, are searching for their first win since 2021. This match offers them a crucial opportunity to break their losing streak. Despite the advantage of “home conditions,” Afghanistan has lost their last three Tests against Ireland, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Their task is made harder by the absence of full-time captain Rashid Khan, who is recovering from a back injury.
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson (pictured above on right), Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips/Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (captain), Matt Henry/Ben Sears, Ajaz Patel.
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