Ground staff employed electric fans in a desperate attempt to dry the pitch during the Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand on Tuesday, but play was called off for the second consecutive day, with one official describing the situation as 'a huge mess'. The one-off Test, held at Afghanistan's adopted home near India's capital New Delhi, was scheduled to commence on Monday, but the toss has yet to occur due to persistent rain and the poor condition of the Greater Noida ground. On Tuesday, groundsmen covered parts of the pitch in anticipation of further rain, while others used electric fans to dry the most severely wet patches. Ground staff excavated a wet area in the outfield near midwicket, refilling it with dry soil and laying fresh turf. Umpires conducted repeated inspections before ultimately calling off play in the mid-afternoon.
The venue, hosting its inaugural Test, has only basic drainage and has faced criticism for its facilities, which The Times of India newspaper described as 'ill-equipped'. Despite sunny conditions on Monday and Tuesday, the outfield remained saturated following days of preceding monsoon rain. The teams stayed in their hotels on Tuesday morning, but New Zealand, unable to complete any of their pre-Test training sessions, later set up nets on the ground, and players went through their drills. Afghanistan has hosted several Twenty20 and one-day internationals at Greater Noida since 2017. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has provided Afghanistan with venues to train and host matches outside their troubled nation, including in the northern Indian cities of Lucknow and Dehradun.
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officials have been cautious about criticism, fearing it could strain relations with the BCCI, but expressed their disappointment. 'This is a huge mess. We are never coming back here,' an ACB official was quoted as saying by Indian media. However, after the second day's play was canceled, Afghanistan officials addressed reporters officially. 'Everyone, including the ground authorities, have worked hard,' said Menhajuddin Naz, the ACB international cricket manager. 'Even if it had been any other venue, they would have struggled to get it back on time.' Naz mentioned that they had been offered to host the Test in the northern city of Kanpur or the southern city of Bengaluru, but chose Greater Noida due to its convenience in terms of logistics. 'It was closer to Delhi and also had better connectivity from Kabul,' Naz explained.
This marks only Afghanistan's 10th five-day match since being granted Test status in 2017. There has been no public reaction from Tim Southee's New Zealand, who will next travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests before returning for three more against India.
