Afghanistan v NZ test abandoned without a ball bowled

Afghanistan’s one-off test against New Zealand became just the eighth match in the format’s history to be abandoned without a ball being bowled after rain washed out the fifth and final day in India’s Greater Noida region on Friday.

The first ever test scheduled between the sides looked doomed from the start due to steady rain for over two weeks in the region. It was also the first test to be scheduled at the Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sport Complex near Delhi.

Afghanistan play their home matches abroad due to security concerns for touring teams.

The Afghan board preferred Greater Noida over two other venues in India because of its proximity to Delhi, which made travelling from Kabul easier.

New Zealand will fly to Sri Lanka on Saturday for a two-test series in Galle from Sept. 18.

The ACB said in a statement they had ruled out playing in the United Arab Emirates due to the extreme heat there.

“It’s important to understand that the Future Tours Program (FTP) is typically planned five years in advance, which makes it nearly impossible to predict future circumstances with complete certainty,” the board said.