Greater Noida has witnessed continuous rain for the last two weeks.
The third day of the one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand which is to be played at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Stadium in Greater Noida has also been washed out due to incessant rains.
The match has not even seen the toss happening due to the unplayable outfield caused by the last two weeks' persistent rain. Greater Noida was chosen as the venue for logistical reasons, mainly due to its proximity to Delhi. An official from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said the decision was made to facilitate easier travel from Kabul.
“If it rains like this, no venue is going to be able to host a game,” Menhajuddin Raz, ACB's international cricket manager was quoted by Reuters.
This is the first Test to be played at this complex, which lacks adequate drainage systems and has received criticism as the rain continues. With additional rain forecast, there is a rising chance that the match will be abandoned outright. If this happens, it will be only the sixth Test in history to be called off before a ball is bowled.
The ACB ruled out moving the match to the United Arab Emirates because of the high temperatures 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 ACB stated.