"Never coming back...': Poor ground facilities disrupt historic Afghanistan-NZ Test
The one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand, scheduled to take place at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida, was postponed due to substandard conditions. The ground's poor drainage system and inadequate facilities were highlighted as key issues. Despite clear weather on Monday, the match could not commence due to these shortcomings, as cited by an Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) official.
Ground staff struggle with inadequate facilities
The ground staff at the sports complex struggled to prepare the field due to a lack of modern facilities. The umpires conducted six as many as inspections throughout Day 1, with several New Zealand players also assessing the conditions. However, concerns were raised about certain areas on the pitch and within the 30-yard circle. Despite sunny weather, hopes for a match were dashed around 2pm IST.
Match postponed and rescheduled due to poor conditions
The opening day's play was eventually called off at 4pm, with the toss rescheduled for 9am the next day. As per the released itinerary, the remaining four days will now start at 9:30am instead of the usual 10am. This decision was made in light of the ongoing issues with the ground's condition and facilities.
Off-field operations also affected by poor facilities
Furthermore, lack of facilities at the sports complex also impacted off-field operations. The venue was criticized for not having a proper media stand or sufficient seating for fans. Accredited media faced difficulties owing to shortage of water and power, as well as access to female washrooms. Additionally, there was no public announcement system in place, leading to confusion among spectators about the match's status.
ACB official criticizes stadium management
An official from the ACB expressed dissatisfaction with the stadium's management, stating, "This is a huge mess, we are never coming back here." The official also revealed that players were unhappy with the facilities. He further disclosed that despite assurances from stadium authorities about media facilities being in order, they were found wanting.
Stadium's history and future prospects
The stadium, managed by the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority, hosted a Day/Night match during the 2016 Duleep Trophy. However, the stadium was banned by the BCCI a year later due to match-fixing within corporate matches. No BCCI-affiliated match has been held here ever since. It remains to be seen how the stadium's management will address these issues going forward.
Rain washed out Day 3 as well
Play was also abandoned for Day 3. Live visuals showed that it's raining at the venue and most parts of the outfield is under covers. There are some uncovered areas on the outfield though and some big puddles of water have formed over there. Not the kind of news fans were expecting but that's the way it is. There's more rain on the radar today as well as in the next two days.
