NEW DELHI: The one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida has been called off for the third consecutive day due to continuous rain on Wednesday.
The match, scheduled at the Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, has not seen any play, with even the toss not taking place due to the unplayable outfield caused by the last two weeks’ persistent rain.
Greater Noida was chosen as the venue for logistical reasons, mainly due to its proximity to Delhi. An official from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said the decision was made to facilitate easier travel from Kabul. Menhajuddin Raz, ACB’s international cricket manager was quoted as saying by Reuters, “If it rains like this, no venue is going to be able to host a game.”
This match is the first Test to be held at this complex, which does not have advanced drainage systems, and has faced criticism as the rain continues. With more rain expected, there is a growing possibility that the match might be abandoned entirely. If this happens, it would be only the eighth Test in history to be called off without a ball being bowled.
The match, scheduled at the Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, has not seen any play, with even the toss not taking place due to the unplayable outfield caused by the last two weeks’ persistent rain.
Greater Noida was chosen as the venue for logistical reasons, mainly due to its proximity to Delhi. An official from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said the decision was made to facilitate easier travel from Kabul. Menhajuddin Raz, ACB’s international cricket manager was quoted as saying by Reuters, “If it rains like this, no venue is going to be able to host a game.”
This match is the first Test to be held at this complex, which does not have advanced drainage systems, and has faced criticism as the rain continues. With more rain expected, there is a growing possibility that the match might be abandoned entirely. If this happens, it would be only the eighth Test in history to be called off without a ball being bowled.
The ACB ruled out relocating the match to the United Arab Emirates due to extreme heat there. “It’s important to understand that the Future Tours Program (FTP) is typically planned five years in advance, which makes it nearly impossible to predict future circumstances with complete certainty,” the ACB stated.
