Historic Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand set for Greater Noida: Report

Afghanistan is reportedly set to host a one-off Test against New Zealand in September, marking the first-ever Test match between the two nations.

Since being awarded Test status in 2017, Afghanistan has played nine Tests but has yet to face New Zealand. This historic moment is likely to occur in September when the two teams meet in the longest format of the game.

According to the Times of India, the match is scheduled to be held at the Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida. The report highlighted that New Zealand’s stance on playing bilateral series against Afghanistan differs from that of their neighbors, Australia.

Since 2021, Australia has refused to play any bilateral matches against Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s restrictions on female participation in sports. However, New Zealand has expressed no such reservations about playing against Afghanistan.

BCCI approves Afghanistan’s request

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has received approval from the BCCI to play its home games in India once again. This means Afghanistan will be playing their home matches in India after a four-year hiatus, returning to Greater Noida for the first time since 2020. The BCCI has allotted three ‘home’ venues to Afghanistan: Greater Noida, Kanpur, and Lucknow.

“Soon after the change in Kabul in 2021, when the Taliban took over, the BCCI was the first cricket board to support Afghanistan,” a source said.

Afghanistan was also scheduled to host Bangladesh in Greater Noida for a full-fledged series, including two Tests and white-ball games, in July. However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) decided to postpone the series due to weather conditions in North India.

For New Zealand, the one-off Test against Afghanistan will provide an ideal opportunity to prepare for their three-match Test series against India, scheduled for October-November.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan will be aiming for a historic win against New Zealand in the Test. The Afghan team recently shocked the Black Caps with a victory in the T20 World Cup last month and will be looking to surprise them once again.