Fans being used to dry the wet ground before the inspection of the pitch on the second day of the Test Match at Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh on September 10, 2024
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy

Ground staff used electric fans in a desperate bid to dry the pitch in the Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand Tuesday, but play was called off for a second straight day with one official calling it “a huge mess”.

The one-off Test at Afghanistan’s adopted home near New Delhi was supposed to start on Monday but the toss is yet to take place because of rain and the poor condition of the Greater Noida ground.

On Tuesday, groundsmen dragged out tarpaulin to cover areas of the pitch in anticipation of more rain, while others held electric fans over some of the worst wet patches.

Ground staff also dug up a wet patch — in the cover-point and mid-wicket region — and were filling it with dry soil and fresh turf.

Umpires carried out repeated inspections and finally called off play in the mid-afternoon. The venue, hosting its first Test, has only basic drainage and has been criticised for its facilities.

Soaked outfield

Despite sunshine on Tuesday the outfield remains soaked after days of monsoon rain.

The teams stayed in their hotels on Tuesday morning but New Zealand, who were unable to complete any of their training sessions ahead of the Test, later put up nets on the ground and players went through their drills.

On Monday, the New Zealand players threw rugby balls around as they waited for play, but the teams spent the morning on Tuesday marooned at their hotels.

Afghanistan have hosted several T20 and ODIs since 2017 at the venue.

‘Huge mess’

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has offered Afghanistan venues to train and host matches at outside their troubled nation, including in Lucknow and Dehradun.

Lucknow and Dehradun were preferred options for this Test by Afghanistan, but those grounds were busy with local leagues.

The press box at Greater Noida was initially an open-sided tent with a rug and chairs, without internet or power, but were shifted after complaints.

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officials have been cautious about criticism, fearing it could spoil relations with the BCCI, but said they were disappointed.

“This is a huge mess. We are never coming back here,” an ACB official was quoted as saying by one news organisation.

It is only Afghanistan’s 10th Test match.

There has been no public reaction from Tim Southee’s New Zealand side, who will next travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests before returning for three more against India.

Gujarat Titans Rashid Khan trying to catch a ball during the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty-20 cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Eight players featuring in the ongoing Indian Premier League have been named in the 15-member Afghanistan T20 World Cup squad to be led by star all-rounder Rashid Khan.

Hashmatullah Shahidi, who captained Afghanistan at the 2023 ODI World Cup, has been left out of the squad named by the Afghanistan Cricket Board.

Left-handed opener Hazratullah Zazai, Sediqullah Atal and Mohammad Saleem Safi have been named as travelling reserves for the marquee event to be played in the USA and the Caribbean from June 2.

Rashid, Azmatullah Omarzai, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen Ul Haq, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Gulbadin Naib are the Afghan players currently playing in the IPL.

The squad has only four batters in wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran and back-up keeper Mohammad Ishaq. But, six all-rounders have been named to make up for the lesser number of specialist batters.

Apart from Rashid, the other all-rounders are Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat and Nangeyalia Kharote.

Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Noor are the other spinners along with Rashid, Nabi, Kharote.

Right-arm fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq, left-armers Fazalhaq Farooqi and Fareed Ahmad will man the pace department, along with the all-rounders.

Janat, Ishaq and Noor have been after missing the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Afghanistan are in Group C in the 20-team tournament, along with New Zealand, co-hosts West Indies, Uganda and Papua New Guinea. They play their first match against Uganda on June 3 at Providence.

The squad: Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik.

Reserves: Sediqullah Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Saleem Safi.