GREATER NOIDA, India: The third day of the lone Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand was canceled due to persistent rain on Wednesday, raising concerns that the match might be completely washed out without any play.
The Greater Noida venue, Afghanistan’s adopted home ground near India’s capital, has been plagued by weather issues, with rain starting on Tuesday night worsening an already waterlogged outfield. This led to the loss of the first two days of play.
The venue, hosting its first Test match, has faced criticism for its inadequate facilities and drainage issues. Efforts to dry the field included using electric fans and replacing wet soil with fresh turf. Afghanistan’s cricket board defended the choice of Greater Noida, citing the unavailability of other venues like Bengaluru and Kanpur due to domestic matches.
Afghanistan has previously hosted T20s and ODIs at this venue, but this Test marks only their 10th in history. New Zealand’s team, led by Tim Southee, will next travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests before facing India.
