NEW DELHI, Sept 11 (Askume) – Afghanistan’s one-off test match against New Zealand was washed out for the third consecutive day on Wednesday due to rain in India’s Greater Noida area.
Rain has been lashing the region for the past two weeks, with downpours in the early hours of Wednesday forcing match officials to call off the game before it even got underway.
The match was the first Test at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, which has hosted 11 ‘home’ limited-overs matches for the Afghans, but with only a basic drainage system.
Afghanistan plays its home matches abroad due to security concerns for the touring team.
Responding to criticism of the venue selection, Afghanistan Cricket Board officials told local media that they chose Greater Noida over two other options in India due to its proximity to Delhi, which makes it easier to travel from Kabul.
“If it continues to rain like this, then no venue will be able to host the match,” ACB’s international cricket manager Mainhazuddin Raz told reporters on Tuesday.
The ACB said in a statement that they have ruled out the possibility of holding the tournament in the UAE due to extreme heat.
“It is important to understand that future travel plans (FTPs) are often planned five years in advance, making it nearly impossible to predict future conditions with complete certainty,” the board said.
With more rain expected for the rest of the week, the match could become the eighth Test to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Match umpire Javagal Srinath’s report to the International Cricket Council (ICC) will determine whether the venue will be approved by the governing body.
