Afghanistan’s one-off Test against New Zealand was abandoned on Friday without a single ball bowled due to persistent rain in Noida, India.
The match, which was part of the ICC Test Championship, became only the eighth in Test cricket history to be called off after five consecutive days of washout.
From the outset, the match faced significant delays. On the first two days, the toss was postponed as ground staff struggled to dry the field, despite no rainfall.
The venue lacked proper drainage and drying facilities, leaving the grounds crew to resort to rudimentary methods such as covering the pitch with tarpaulin and using electric fans on wet patches.
Heavy criticism followed, particularly from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), which expressed frustration over the venue’s mismanagement.
ACB officials raised concerns about the inadequate facilities, initially deciding to avoid scheduling future matches at the stadium.
However, the board later reversed this stance, citing the long-standing relationship with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as the Noida stadium has served as Afghanistan’s home venue since 2016.
Persistent rain on the third, fourth, and fifth days ultimately forced the match’s abandonment, leaving both teams disappointed and highlighting the need for better infrastructure at international cricket venues.
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