Rain Washes Out The One-Off Test Between Afghanistan and New Zealand At Greater Noida Without Bowling A Single Ball

While this historic one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand had been scheduled to take place at the Greater Noida Sports Complex, it will not be happening as the rain went on and the game was called off without a single ball being bowled. The match was scrapped on September 13 because rain stopped play for five consecutive days in a row.

The ground staff struggled in covering the entire ground area; therefore, becoming subjected to heavy rainstorms. Such an event is indicative of poor drainage system and lack of necessary resources at such venues. Despite having made arrangements for the field, even before play commenced, it was rather too much for rain as well as umpires who had to abandon it eventually.

The cancellation left both players as well as fans disheartened, who were eagerly waiting for this historic match-up. This is all the more sad considering that it would have been Afghanistan’s first-ever Test match against a major cricketing nation.

Rain cancels historic one-off test between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida:

The one-off Test match was abandoned entirely without any bowled ball at Greater Noida Sports Ground Complex, between Afghanistan and New Zealand. This marked only the 8th instance in cricket history where a Test had been totally abandoned without any ball being bowled. The Afghanistan versus New Zealand Test match held in Greater Noida became the first-ever such event in Asia during the current century to be cancelled due to rain.

For the first time in 26 years, a Test match has been left without an umpire throwing out the first ball or allowing players select their fielding positions. It has not been seen at any cricket game since 1998 when India visited Carisbrook, Dunedin to face New Zealand.

The Noida Stadium, which did not receive a single ball delivery for five days, is unlikely to be rated unfit by the ICC due to its unsatisfactory conditions and the lack of ball delivery. The venue may also be considered unsatisfactory due to the amount of rain experienced during the match.