It has been a far-from-ideal beginning at what is known to be Afghanistan’s newest adopted home ground for the ACB in Greater Noida. The one-off historic Test against New Zealand was scheduled to get underway on Monday, 9 September at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, but things have just gone from bad to worse.
Poor Management At Greater Noida Stadium
First and foremost, rain did dampen proceedings, meaning no play was possible on the opening day of the Test match. However, it was the inexcusable lack of any decent facilities pertaining to drainage, players’ hospitality, and media accommodation that made the situation even bitter.
Weather has stepped in to have its say in the match, a Test debut for the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground as well. For, after the first day’s play was washed out without a ball being bowled due to rain, the start to the second day has been delayed due to overnight showers.
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Wet Outfield Still Remains Uncleared
Even as the skies have perked up, the damp outfield has remained a problem, forcing further delays. The toss is yet to be held the next pitch inspection was scheduled at 12 pm local time. Other reports, have pointed at various instances of mismanagement and lack of basic facilities. The staff on the ground have tried to handle a portion in the outfield, which has been wet since Day One of the Test, covering it with artificial grass and blew fans over the area to dry up the surface.
‘Were Are Never Coming Back Here’: AFG Left Fuming
“This is a huge mess, we are never coming back here. The players are also unhappy with the facilities here,” an ACB official said.
“We had spoken with the concerned people well in advance and were assured by the stadium guys that everything will be in order (pertaining to the media facilities),” he added.
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Richest Cricket Board But Still Can’t Clear Wet Outfield
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the worlds richest cricket board but still failed to deal with the problems of wet outfield at the Greater Noida Stadum. This has put the authorities under fire as Afghanistan opted for India to host their home matches and the first outing turned out to be absolutely disappointing. The players complained about lack of proper facilities, mismanagement, and most importantly the ground conditions did not improve. This will severely affect BCCI’s reputation at a global arena.
This will mark Afghanistan’s 10th Test match and their third of 2024, the highest number they’ve played in a single calendar year. Following this series, New Zealand will head to Sri Lanka for two Tests starting September 18, before returning to face India in a three-Test series beginning October 16.
