Afghanistan‘s opening test match against New Zealanda landmark event for the country’s cricketing history was overshadowed by a series of unfortunate incidents. The match scheduled to be held at the Greater Noida Stadium was marred by poor pitch conditions and organizational issues.
Drama behind the scenes
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had expressed concerns about the suitability of the Greater Noida stadium to host the Test match. Despite their preference for venues in Lucknow or Dehradun, they were forced to accept the Greater Noida option due to BCCI’s scheduling conflicts. ACB officials are said to be disappointed with the decision, citing superior opportunities in Afghanistan.
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A day of disappointment for Afghanistan
The second day of the Test match was cut short due to continuous rain and a poorly prepared pitch. Despite efforts to dry out the outfield and improve conditions, the umpires deemed the ground unplayable. The situation was described by one official as a “huge mess”, highlighting the shortcomings of the venue’s infrastructure.
“Everyone, including the authorities on the ground, worked so hard that even if there was another place, they would have fought to get it back in time.” Menhajuddin Nazthe ACB international cricket managerinformed the journalists about it.
Naz also said that they offered to play the Test at Kanpur’s Green Park stadium or Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy stadium but chose Greater Noida.
“We chose Greater Noida because it was the most convenient in terms of logistics. “It was closer to Delhi and the connectivity from Kabul was better.” he added.
New Zealand’s view of the matter
Tim Southee’etc New Zealandwho could not train properly due to unfavorable weather conditions, trained by building a net on the ground. However, the Kiwi players were undoubtedly frustrated by the circumstances surrounding their debut Test against Afghanistan.
Stained historical test
Afghanistan’s Test debut was a bitter experience. Although it was a momentous occasion for the team to participate in the longest format game, the poor conditions and organizational issues surrounding the match left a sour taste in the mouths of many. ACB will certainly be hoping for a more positive experience in future test matches.
