In a rare moment in Indian cricket history, the Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida was called off without a single ball being bowled. This is the first time in 91 years that a Test match in India has been abandoned before any play could begin.
The game, held at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, was delayed for the first two days due to a wet outfield caused by heavy rain. The rain continued over the next three days, making it impossible for the match to start. On the fifth day, match officials inspected the ground but found standing water on the outfield, leading to the decision to cancel the match.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced, “It is still raining in Greater Noida, and due to frequent rains, the 5th and final day of the Afghanistan vs New Zealand Test has been called off.”
This is only the eighth time in Test cricket history that a match has been abandoned without a single ball being bowled, and the first such incident in India. In Asia, the only other match to be abandoned this way was in 1998, between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in Faisalabad.
Here’s a list of the Test matches abandoned without a ball being bowled
1. England vs Australia, Old Trafford, 1890
2. England vs Australia, Old Trafford, 1938
3. Australia vs England, Melbourne, 1970
4. New Zealand vs Pakistan, Dunedin, 1989
5. West Indies vs England, Georgetown, 1990
6. Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, Faisalabad, 1998
7. New Zealand vs India, Dunedin, 1998
8. Afghanistan vs New Zealand, Greater Noida, 2024
This unfortunate event will be remembered as a rare moment in both Indian and world cricket history.
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