Afghanistan to face New Zealand in one-off Test in September

KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghanistan are set to play a one-off Test match against New Zealand in September at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground in India.

This will mark the first time the two teams compete in the longest format of the game, according to ESPNcricinfo.

This Test will be Afghanistan's 10th overall and their third of 2024, making it the most Tests they have played in a single calendar year.

It will also be their inaugural Test at the Greater Noida Sports Complex, which has previously been an adopted home ground for Afghanistan.

The match is scheduled to take place from September 9 to 13, just one month before New Zealand's Three-Test tour of India, which begins on October 16.

Following this fixture, England, Australia, Pakistan, and South Africa will be the only teams yet to face Afghanistan in a Test match.

Australia had previously withdrawn from hosting a Test in 2021 due to humanitarian concerns and also pulled out of a scheduled three-match T20I series in August this year, creating an opportunity for the New Zealand Test to fill a gap in Afghanistan's schedule.

In 2024, Afghanistan has lost their two Tests against Sri Lanka and Ireland. They also suffered a defeat in their one-off Test against Bangladesh last year.

Their last victory in Test cricket came in March 2021, when they defeated Zimbabwe in the UAE. Overall, Afghanistan holds a respectable 3-6 win-loss record in their first nine Test matches.

sa