Tests abandoned without a ball bowled

The only Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand, scheduled to be held in Greater Noida, was abandoned without a toss or a single ball being bowled, thanks to relentless rain. This makes it the eighth instance in Test cricket history where a match has been abandoned without any play.

Afghanistan was set to play their first-ever Test against New Zealand, an event that would have been historic. However, due to continuous rain, the match never got underway, and no toss was conducted. The field turned into a waterlogged swamp, making it unrecognizable as a cricket ground, with the entire outfield submerged under water.

On the fifth morning of the Test, the Afghanistan Cricket Board officially announced the match had been abandoned. This is the first time in the 21st century that a five-day Test has failed to see a single ball bowled. The last similar instance occurred in 1998 during a Test between New Zealand and India.

This marks the eighth time in Test cricket history where no play occurred, with New Zealand being involved in three of these instances. The first occurrence of such an event happened in 1890. This rainout also marks the first time in 91 years of international cricket that a Test match has been abandoned in Asia without any play.

Following this rain-affected event, the New Zealand team will travel to Sri Lanka for a two-Test series starting from September 18 in Galle.