Despite dry weather on Monday, not a single ball was bowled on Day 1 of the Afghanistan vs New Zealand one-off Test due to the poor condition of the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex. Inadequate drainage, a waterlogged outfield, and substandard facilities led to the cancellation of play, despite no rain throughout the day.
The buildup to this historic match, the first Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand, was already affected by rain, preventing New Zealand from completing a full practice session. Despite overnight showers, the weather cleared by Monday, but the lack of modern facilities hampered the inexperienced ground staff, who struggled to make the field playable. Sawdust was used more frequently than the players saw action, as the umpires conducted six inspections throughout the day.
Several New Zealand players, including captain Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner, and Rachin Ravindra, ventured onto the field to check conditions, but the mid-on and mid-wicket areas, along with patches inside the 30-yard circle, remained problematic. At one point, it seemed like play could begin, but hopes were dashed when Kane Williamson hesitantly walked towards the pitch around 2 PM IST.
Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott also appeared unimpressed as the ground staff failed to adequately prepare the field. The Super Soppers, meant to dry the pitch, were only activated after 1 PM. Play was officially abandoned at 4 PM, and the toss has been rescheduled for 9 AM on the following day, with 98 overs set for the remaining four days starting at 9:30 AM instead of the usual 10 AM.
In the lead-up to the Test, ground staff even resorted to using table fans to dry the field for Afghanistan’s training. The stadium’s lack of modern amenities also extended off the field, with no proper media stand, inadequate seating for fans, and significant issues for accredited media, including the absence of basic necessities like water, electricity, and a female washroom. There was also no public announcement system, leaving fans in the dark.
Poor communication and mismanagement between the stadium authority and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) further aggravated the situation. An ACB official expressed frustration, stating, “This is a huge mess, we are never coming back here. The players are also unhappy with the facilities.”
The official added that, despite prior discussions and assurances from the stadium authorities, conditions were far from acceptable. Although the Test is not part of the World Test Championship, it remains an ICC-affiliated tournament.
The stadium, overseen by the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority, had previously hosted a pink-ball Duleep Trophy match in 2016. However, it was banned by the BCCI in 2017 after a corporate match-fixing scandal, and no BCCI-affiliated games have been played there since. The venue has served as Afghanistan’s home ground in the past, but as another ACB official pointed out, “Nothing has changed since we came here. It hasn’t improved at all.”
Ahead of the Test, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi called on the BCCI and ACB to arrange a proper home venue for the team. “India is our home, and other nations have played a lot of cricket here,” Shahidi said. “Hopefully, we will get a good venue, and if we stick to one location, it will benefit us.”
Although the stadium doesn’t fall under the UP Cricket Association, it remains to be seen whether BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla will intervene to address these issues.
