AFG vs NZ only Test Match: The condition of Afghanistan-New Zealand match is at its worst, fans and covers were rented… this ‘jugaad’ was used to dry the ground

The second day of the test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida was also cancelled and stumps were declared. The limit was that many types of Jugaad were used for the wet outfield, even after this the match could not start.

The historic one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand could not start on the second day due to poor drainage, wet outfield and pathetic facilities at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida. The first day was abandoned without a single ball being bowled.

It was expected that this would be a historic test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand. But it has proved to be disappointing for the players so far. The Afghan players are disappointed, while the New Zealand players are shocked to see the condition of the stadium. The organizers have not been able to provide basic facilities for the only test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand.

After a whole day was washed out due to a wet outfield, the ground staff dug up two to three feet near mid-on. They tried to put dry soil and artificial grass on the affected area, but it did not look ready. The entire outfield does not look suitable for international cricket, as it is full of mud. This could put players at risk of injury even if temporary arrangements were made to make the game possible.

Sad to see that the toss has been delayed.

This is how you prepare for a test match? @ICC @ACBofficials @BLACKCAPS
What is happening on the ground
Yesterday it’s rained for around 2 hours in break. pic.twitter.com/bUspWvsQDc

— Nitin K Srivastav (@Nitin_sachin) September 10, 2024

The organizers were not ready for the match…
According to the information available with Aaj Tak, the ground staff consists of 20-25 members and 15 are outsourced. There are five super soppers in the ground, two of which are automatic and three are manual. Even the covers and fans have been rented from a tent house.

It is clear that the organisers were not prepared for the rain, they lacked the basic resources to cover the entire ground. The players of both the teams were so confident seeing the conditions that they stayed in the hotel for the second day.

This careless attitude can bring bad news for the venue. The International Cricket Council (ICC) can consider this ground unfit for international cricket. Caterers in the stadium were seen using washroom tap water to wash their utensils and cook food. The hygiene situation in the stadium has also raised questions. At the same time, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has also confirmed the mismanagement.

Problems occurred due to inexperienced field staff…
Preparations for the first Test between the two countries were affected by rain and New Zealand were not able to complete a single practice session properly. Apart from drizzle on Sunday night, there was no rain throughout the day on Monday, but due to lack of modern facilities, inexperienced groundsmen had to struggle to prepare the ground.

Artificial grass patches now being brought in to try and repair the patches at mid on. It is truly becoming a farce. #afg pic.twitter.com/mT2Z3k56tI

— Siddharth Viswanathan (@VishySid84) September 10, 2024

But mid-on and mid-wicket remained areas of concern, while several patches were visible even inside the 30-yard circle. Ground staff used table fans to dry the ground. The lack of modern facilities extended beyond the ground, impacting operations off the pitch. There was a shortage of drinking water, electricity supply and even ladies’ toilets.

Test matches are not a part of WTC…
This Test is not a part of the World Test Championship (WTC), but it is affiliated to the ICC. This stadium, run by the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority, hosted the pink ball Duleep Trophy match in 2016. However, it was banned by the BCCI in September 2017 due to match fixing during corporate matches. Since then, no match affiliated to the BCCI has been held here.

The stadium has previously served as the home ground for Afghanistan. Though the stadium does not come under the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association, it will be interesting to see if BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla is able to sort out the matter.