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Afghanistan vs New Zealand Highlights, Day 3 Test Match 2024: The Afghanistan Cricket Board, which is the home team in this match, was offered stadiums in Kanpur and Bengaluru for this Test but they chose the one in Greater Noida due to logistical reasons.
The third day of the one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand, held at Greater Noida, was marked by disappointment as play was abandoned shortly after the scheduled start on Wednesday, September 11. Persistent heavy rainfall overnight and continuing showers on Wednesday morning rendered the ground unplayable, leading to the cancellation of play for the third consecutive day.
The first two days of the match had already been called off due to a wet outfield, which raised concerns about the venue preparedness. Given the ongoing poor weather conditions, match officials quickly determined that there was no chance of resuming play on Wednesday. In a statement, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced that Day 3 had been called off due to the persistent rains. They also mentioned that if the weather improves, play will resume with 98 overs scheduled for the following day.
Afghanistan, who rarely get the opportunity to host top teams, had chosen Greater Noida as the venue for this Test match. At the end of the second day play, ACB officials revealed that they had been offered three potential venues by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)—Kanpur, Bengaluru and Greater Noida. They selected Greater Noida for its logistical convenience, being a two-hour drive from Delhi airport.
Menhajuddin Raz, the ACB international cricket manager, noted that Greater Noida has been a familiar venue for Afghanistan since 2016. Despite the recent heavy rains that have plagued the region, Raz pointed out that the ground had previously hosted a three-day game without issues.
The ACB has previously hosted 11 white-ball international matches at Greater Noida and also in Dehradun. Raaz assured that a thorough assessment of the venue had been conducted several months in advance and the visiting team had also inspected the ground. The current weather conditions, have disrupted the match, overshadowing the otherwise well-planned arrangements.
Big Accusation Against BCCI Over Noida Test Fiasco
The one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand has attracted significant attention, but unfortunately, without a single ball being bowled. For two days, play has been impossible at Greater Noida Stadium due to unsuitable conditions. Although rain hasn’t been constant, poor drainage facilities have hampered the ground’s readiness. Despite sunny weather for most of Day 2, the toss could not be held as the groundsmen struggled to dry wet patches on the field.
There has been speculation that the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) could have selected a different venue. However, according to an ACB official, Greater Noida was the only available option. The official revealed that the facilities at Greater Noida Stadium have not seen significant improvements over the years and are now surpassed by those in Afghanistan. You might be surprised, but our stadiums in Afghanistan actually offer better facilities than this one. We’ve made considerable infrastructure advancements recently, whereas the Noida ground remains unchanged,” the ACB official told The Indian Express before the Test was scheduled to start.
The ACB had initially requested to host the match at either Lucknow or Dehradun. these requests were reportedly denied by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). which cited ongoing T20 leagues in those locations as the reason. Consequently, Greater Noida was the only venue left for the Test. With the possibility of more rain in Greater Noida, it seems increasingly unlikely that the fixture will see a full three days of play. As it stands, the match faces the grim prospect of being a complete washout.
Rain plays spoilsport
After the first two days of the lone Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand were lost to poor playing conditions, Wednesday situation deteriorated further. Heavy rains struck the New Delhi Capital Region (NCR) on Tuesday evening, exacerbating the already inadequate conditions at Greater Noida Stadium. The combination of inadequate management and substandard equipment to address the wet conditions led the umpires to call off play for Day 3.
The decision was also influenced by the weather forecast, which predicts continued rain in the region. As a result, the historic Test match is on the verge of becoming a significant disappointment, with the toss yet to take place. With Day 3 being lost, only two days remain for the match to be played, assuming the conditions improve sufficiently.
AFG Vs NZ, One-Off Test Day 3: Full Squads
Afghanistan:Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Riaz Hassan, Bahir Shah, Shahidullah Kamal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Khalil Ahmed, Zia-ur-Rehman, Afsar Zazai, Nijat Masood, Shamsurrahman, Abdul Malik
New Zealand:Tom Latham(wk), Tim Southee (c), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, Matt Henry, Tom Blundell, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, William ORourke.
What are the issues around the cricket stadium in Greater Noida?
The allocation of the Greater Noida Stadium for the one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand has faced significant criticism. The stadium, which has previously hosted 11 matches involving Afghanistan—five T20Is and six ODIs against Ireland in March 2017 and March 2020—was blacklisted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in September 2017. This decision was made due to the stadium involvement in a private league suspected of corruption, leading to its exclusion from hosting BCCI-organized matches.
Although the stadium was removed from the list of BCCI-approved venues, it could still be used for matches organized by other boards, as was the case with the ACB fixtures in March 2020. Consequently, the ACB was able to host the New Zealand Test at Greater Noida.
The venue is not under the direct control of the BCCI or the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), but rather the local administration, raising questions about whether its facilities meet international standards. ACB International Cricket Manager Menhajuddin Raz stated in a media interaction on Tuesday that both Afghanistan and New Zealand had conducted thorough inspections of the venue well in advance and were satisfied with its condition. He attributed the abandonment of the first three days of play solely to the heavy overnight rain, not to the facilities or staff at the ground.
Additionally, ACB Commercial Manager Akbar Mohammad Paktian revealed that attempts were made to relocate the match to a nearby stadium. these plans were thwarted by similar weather forecasts affecting other venues, making Greater Noida the only feasible option.
Why is Afghanistan v New Zealand being played in Greater Noida?
Confusion has surrounded the venues offered to the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) for the one-off Test against New Zealand. According to an ESPNCricinfo report from Monday, an Afghanistan team official claimed that the players were dissatisfied with the facilities at Greater Noida and preferred to play in Kanpur, Lucknow or Dehradun. They were informed that these options were unavailable—Kanpur was being prepared for Bangladesh visit later in the month, while Lucknow and Dehradun were hosting T20 leagues.
on Tuesday, ACB International Cricket Manager Menhajuddin Raz contradicted these claims, stating that the alternatives provided were Bengaluru and Kanpur. He emphasized that the ACB chose Greater Noida due to logistical reasons and past experience with the venue.
The situation grew more confusing on Wednesday morning with conflicting information posted by the ACB on social media. On Instagram, the board mentioned that Dehradun, Lucknow and Greater Noida were considered. Meanwhile, their Facebook account listed Bengaluru, Kanpur and Greater Noida as the options.
This discrepancy raises questions about the actual choices available to the ACB. While Dehradun, Lucknow and Kanpur were ruled out for the reasons stated, it is puzzling that Bengaluru was considered, specially since the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium had just hosted a Duleep Trophy match on Sunday. It is possible that the alternative venue in Bengaluru could have been the KSCA ground in Alur, which has hosted Ranji Trophy matches, but this remains unconfirmed.
Ultimately, as blame shifts between the weather, the BCCI and the ACB, the Test match has become a farcical situation. Unless conditions improve miraculously, it seems likely that the match will not progress beyond a minimal number of days, reflecting poorly on the sport and the management of the event.
