Unwanted HISTORY created as Afghanistan versus New Zealand becomes first Test to be washed out in 91 years without single ball being bowled due to rain

Afghanistan versus New Zealand washed away without a single ball being bowled for five days, creating an unwanted feat in Greater Noida.

Unwanted HISTORY created as Afghanistan versus New Zealand becomes first Test to be washed out in 91 years without single ball being bowled due to rain

Tim Southee, Hashmatullah Shahidi, image courtesy: X

It was supposed to be a historic outing for Afghanistan as they got an opportunity to play a one-off Test match against New Zealand. Much to their woes, an unwanted feat was chronicled as their solitary test against the Kiwis got washed away in Greater Noida without a single ball being bowled.

In the overall antiquity of international cricket, this was just the eighth men’s Test which got called off without a single ball being bowled throughout the span of five days. More to the already piling list of unwanted feats, in the last 91 years, this was the first Test that got abandoned without a solitary ball being bowled due to rain.

YouTube video

Poor ground conditions, wet outfield, persistent rain across all five days forced the authorities to take the unpleasant call which both the teams stranded without any cricket on offer. This is for the first time that a men’s Test in India has been completely washed away and that too without any action whatsoever.

The last Men’s Test that was postponed without any delivery being bowled was in 1998 when New Zealand were to play India. With this Test called off, the Black Caps will now be venturing into Sri Lanka where they will be playing a two-match Test series followed by the tour to India for a three-match fray.

A glance at the current points table of WTC 2023-25

The fate of this Test, however, will not affect New Zealand in the WTC. They will continue to be in the third position with three wins and a win percentage of 50. India are currently acing the charts with six wins from nine matches and a win percentage of 68.52.

Afghanistan
Team India, image courtesy: X

If they qualify for the final again, this is going to be the third time on the trot that they will make it to the summit clash. They were a part of the finals in 2023 and 2021 where they lost to Australia and New Zealand respectively. Australia is next in line with a win percentage of 62.5 while registering eight wins from 12 games.

Bangladesh who will be playing India from 19th of September are in the fourth position of the WTC points table with a percentage of 45.83 and three wins from six games. Sri Lanka is next in line with 42.86 percent while England hangs around in the sixth with 42.19.

South Africa has failed to impress too in this cycle so far with a percentage of 38.89 while Pakistan dropped down to eighth after a humiliating defeat to Bangladesh. West Indies ails at the rock-bottom with a percentage of 18.52.