AFG vs NZ one-off test set become first test in 21st century to end without any ball bowled

The AFG vs NZ one-off test match has seen four days get abandoned without the toss at the Greater Noida Sports Complex.

The ongoing one-off test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand at the Greater Noida Sports Complex is on the verge of becoming the first test match of the 21st century to end without any ball bowled.

The historic encounter was supposed to be Afghanistan’s 10th test since gaining full member status, which they got in 2017, and their first against New Zealand. Sadly, rain in Greater Noida and the poor drainage system at the ground have forced officials to abandon play on the first four days without a single ball being bowled.

The rainfall in the past few days has made the outfield unfit and risky for play. The ground staff has tried everything in order to start the match but to no avail. While it has been raining for the last two days, no play was possible due to wet outfield on the first two days.

After the fourth day’s play was abandoned, the broadcaster revealed that there was more than 1200mm of rain over the last seven days. 

“There has been more than 1200 mm of rain over seven days. The scale of rainfall has made it absolutely impossible for cricket today. We are going to come back on day five just in case, but the reality is there will be absolutely no prospect of play. We can’t envisage anything else but an abandonment very early tomorrow morning,” the broadcaster said as the fourth day’s play was abandoned on September 12

AFG vs NZ one-off test could become the first test in the 21st century to end without a single ball

If rain washes out the Day 5 of the ongoing AFG vs NZ one-off test match in Greater Noida, then it will become the first test in the 21st century to end without any ball being bowled.

According to AccuWeather.com, the weather expected on Day 5 is cloudy in the morning with some thunderstorms expected in the afternoon.

This test isn’t part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle.

The last abandoned game due to rain also involved New Zealand. It was against the Indian cricket team at Carisbrook in Dunedin in 1998. Notably, no test match in India has ever been abandoned without a ball being bowled till now.

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