Afghanistan’s first-ever Test match at Greater Noida, near New Delhi, was canceled today due to continuous rain over the last two weeks. The match, which was supposed to be a historic moment for Afghanistan, didn’t even reach the toss as officials had to call it off due to the heavy downpours.
Despite some sunshine on the first two days and the ground staff’s efforts with electric fans, the field was still too wet for play. The venue, hosting its first Test match, faced criticism for poor drainage and limited facilities.
Afghanistan, known for their success in white-ball cricket and their recent T20 World Cup win over New Zealand in June, have not been able to host international matches at home due to security issues.
With this match canceled, New Zealand, led by Tim Southee, will head to Sri Lanka for a two-Test series before returning to India for three more matches.
Afghanistan-New Zealand Test Nears Total Washout as Day Four Abandoned
The last time a full Test match was abandoned due to rain was in December 1998, when New Zealand hosted India in Dunedin. Interestingly, the first-ever ODI was played in 1970 after a Test between Australia and England in Melbourne was rained out.