Afghanistan-New Zealand Test abandoned without a ball being bowled

Afghanistan vs New Zealand Test abandoned due to wet outfield, raising concerns about venue preparedness.

The one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand was called off on Friday (September 13, 2024) without a ball being bowled, marking only the eighth time in Test cricket history that such a situation has occurred.

The first two days of the game were cancelled because of a wet outfield, raising significant concerns about the preparedness of the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex. The remaining three days were then washed out due to persistent rain.

An inspection was held on Friday morning but with puddles of water still present on the uncovered sections of the outfield, it was a foregone conclusion that the match would be abandoned without even the toss taking place.

"It is still raining in Greater Noida and due to frequent rains, the 5th and final day of the Afghanistan vs New Zealand Test has been called off by the match officials," the Afghanistan Cricket Board said in a statement.

Only seven matches in the history of Test cricket have been abandoned without a ball being bowled dating back to 1890. The last time it happened was almost 26 years ago, in 1998.

Incidentally, it was a match involving the Kiwis. They were scheduled to play India in Dunedin, New Zealand.

However, it is the first time such an occurrence has taken place in an Indian venue.