Rain Delays Start of Afghanistan-New Zealand Test Match in Greater Noida
GREATER NOIDA – The opening day of the highly anticipated one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand was called off on Monday due to a wet outfield caused by recent heavy rains. No play took place, and even the toss was postponed.
Umpires inspected the field several times throughout the day at Afghanistan’s adopted home ground in Greater Noida, near New Delhi, but the wet patches made play impossible. Despite sunny conditions for most of the day, the outfield remained too damp after continuous rain in the area over the past 10 days. Ground staff worked diligently to try to clear the wet areas.
Officials have now scheduled the toss for 9:00 am (03:30 GMT) on Tuesday, with plans to fit in 98 overs of play to make up for lost time. This Test marks the first such match at the Greater Noida venue, which has hosted several T20 and ODI matches since 2017, although it is still developing world-class facilities.
Adding to Afghanistan’s challenges, opening batter Ibrahim Zadran sustained an ankle injury while fielding on a wet patch during a practice session ahead of the match.
The cricket world will now look to Tuesday for the start of what promises to be an exciting five-day contest between Afghanistan and New Zealand.
