NEW DELHI: The one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida has been suspended for the third consecutive day due to relentless rainfall on Wednesday. Scheduled to take place at the Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, the match has yet to see any action, with even the toss being postponed because of an unplayable outfield resulting from two weeks of continuous rain.
Greater Noida was selected as the venue primarily for logistical convenience, given its close proximity to Delhi. An official from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) explained that this decision aimed to simplify travel arrangements from Kabul. Menhajuddin Raz, ACB’s international cricket manager, expressed concerns about the weather conditions in a statement reported by Reuters: “If it continues raining like this, no venue will be able to host a game.”
This Test marks a historic first for this complex; however, it lacks modern drainage facilities and has faced scrutiny as rain persists. With forecasts indicating more precipitation ahead, there is an increasing likelihood that the match could be completely abandoned. Should this occur, it would become only the eighth Test in cricket history where no play took place.
The ACB dismissed suggestions of moving the match to the United Arab Emirates due to extreme heat conditions there. They emphasized that planning under their Future Tours Program (FTP) typically occurs five years ahead of time, making it nearly impossible to foresee future scenarios with absolute certainty.
