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The Afghanistan vs New Zealand one-off Test in Greater Noida has been plagued by rain, with play being called off for five consecutive days now, as the match went on to be abandoned.

The ground conditions were unsuitable for play to resume. Javagal Srinath, the match referee, had no option but to abandon the match as things did not get any better on the morning of Day 5 either.

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This match holds historical significance, as it is only the third Test match in India featuring neutral teams, following Afghanistan’s matches against Ireland and the West Indies in 2019.

However, persistent rain caused the match's cancellation, which led to it being added to a rare list of matches that have been abandoned without a single ball being bowled.

How many Test matches have been abandoned without a ball bowled?

In the history of cricket, only seven out of over 2,500 Test matches have been completely abandoned without a ball bowled due to rain.

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The last time a Test match was washed out was in 1998, during a match between India and New Zealand. Below is a list of Test matches that were abandoned due to weather:

TeamsDateVenue
Australia vs England25 August 1890Old Trafford, Manchester
Australia vs England8 July 1938Old Trafford, Manchester
Australia vs England31 December 1970Melbourne Cricket Ground
New Zealand vs Pakistan3 February 1989Carisbrook, Dunedin
England vs West Indies10 March 1990Bourda, Georgetown
Pakistan vs Zimbabwe17 December 1998Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
New Zealand vs India18 December 1998Carisbrook, Dunedin
Afghanistan vs New Zealand 13 September 2024Greater Noida

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While the outcome of the Afghanistan vs New Zealand Test remains uncertain, the weather forecasts suggest more rain in Greater Noida. Despite the low probability, fans and players alike will be hoping for clear skies and some cricketing action.

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Author(s)
Saurav Goyal Photo

Saurav Goyal is a content producer for The Sporting News’ India edition.