Historic cricket Test called off amid ‘huge mess’

Play in the one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand was abandoned without a ball bowled for a second consecutive day because of a wet outfield.
Day two developed in a similar fashion to the day prior as the toss was first delayed while grounds staff worked to replace the top layer of the wet outfield with patches from practice areas, at Afghanistan’s adopted home near India’s capital New Delhi.
But it did not dry out sufficiently and an inspection was delayed again until 3pm local time before play was called off again.
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The toss was now scheduled for 9am local time with play to begin 30 minutes later if the weather holds up.
This is Afghanistan’s third cricket Test in 2024, following once-off matches against Ireland and Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan is staging the match near India’s capital because it cannot host international cricket on home soil. The region has received incessant rainfall over the past week.
A staff member uses a fan to dry the outfield. Twitter
New Zealand is kicking off a three-month subcontinental tour that will involve a series against Afghanistan, two Tests in Sri Lanka and then another three in India.
This first Test between the two countries is not part of the 2025 World Test Championship.
The venue, hosting its first Test, has only basic drainage and has been criticised for its facilities with The Times of India newspaper calling it “ill-equipped”.
“This is a huge mess. We are never coming back here,” an ACB official was quoted telling Indian media.