New Zealand’s one-off Test match against Afghanistan in Greater Noida, India, was completely washed out without a single ball bowled over five days. Persistent rain throughout the match days led to its abandonment, marking just the eighth time in men’s Test cricket history that a match has been called off without any play.
The heavy rain during days three, four, and five, which followed overnight showers, left the ground unplayable. This abandonment also made history as the first time a men’s Test in India has been entirely washed out due to weather.
The last instance of such an event occurred in 1998 when New Zealand hosted India in Dunedin. Now, with this match canceled, New Zealand turns its focus to their upcoming series, as they prepare to play a two-Test series in Sri Lanka later this month. Following that, they will return to India for three more Tests in October before hosting England for a three-Test series across November and December.
This recent washout joins a short list of men’s Tests that have been abandoned without any action, including historic matches in Manchester, Melbourne, Dunedin, Georgetown, and Faisalabad.
New Zealand will hope for better weather conditions in their future matches as they continue their World Test Championship journey.
Men’s Tests Abandoned Without a Ball Bowled:
England vs Australia, Manchester, 1890
England vs Australia, Manchester, 1938
Australia vs England, Melbourne, 1970
New Zealand vs Pakistan, Dunedin, 1989
West Indies vs England, Georgetown, 1990
Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, Faisalabad, 1998
New Zealand vs India, Dunedin, 1998
Afghanistan vs New Zealand, Greater Noida, 2024
