Af-NZ Test: Play abandoned for 3rd day in a row

KABUL (Pajhwok): For a third day in a row on Wednesday, play in the one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand in India was called off without a ball bowled.

Overnight rain made the outfield wet at the Greater Noida Stadium, forcing umpires to abandon play on the third consecutive day, the Associated Press reported.

Afghanistan is hosting the Test, in which proceeding have not yet commenced due to incessant rains, which have lashed areas on the outskirts of the Indian capital for the last 10 days.

With fresh showers early Wednesday prompting match officials to abandon play, the toss was rescheduled to 9am on Thursday.

According to Reuters, the match is the first Test to be played at the Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sport Complex, which has only basic drainage systems.

An Afghanistan Cricket Board official says Greater Noida has been chosen over two other venues in India because of its proximity to New Delhi, making travel from Kabul easier.

A day earlier, ACB international cricket manager Menhajuddin Raz said: “If it rains like this, no venue is going to be able to host a game.”

ACB said it had decided against playing in the United Arab Emirates due to the extreme heat there.

PAN Monitor/mud