UP’s Greater Noida to host historic one-off Test between New Zealand and Afghanistan

Afghanistan and New Zealand will play a one-off Test in north India’s Greater Noida city in early September this year. Having played each other several times in T20Is and ODIs earlier, both teams will fare in a red-ball game for the first time. However, it would be Afghanistan’s 10th Test match - third thus far in 2024 – the most they would have played in a calendar year.

Although the exact dates for this one-off Test are not out yet, the latest reports suggest that the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, once Afghanistan's adopted home ground, will host this game from September 9 to 13.

The Kiwis will be in India a month before their three-match away Test series beginning on October 16. Meanwhile, in between, they will also travel to Sri Lanka for a Test series, the dates of which are not announced yet.

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Having made their Test debut against India in Bengaluru in 2018, Afghanistan has played eight matches after that, with a 3-6 win-loss ratio to date. New Zealand would be the latest addition to the teams to have played a Test with Afghanistan, with top sides, including Pakistan, England, South Africa and Australia yet to play one.

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The Australian Cricket Board denied hosting Afghanistan in 2021, citing humanitarian reasons, although both have fared multiple times in ICC events. In the recent two matches between them, Australia won an epic tie in Mumbai last year during the ODI WC. In contrast, Afghanistan shocked the cricket world with their maiden win over the Aussies in the recently concluded T20 World Cup in the Americas.

Meanwhile, in two Tests played this year, Afghanistan lost to Sri Lanka and Ireland, having gone down fighting to Bangladesh in 2023. Their last win in the Whites came against Zimbabwe in March 2021 in the UAE.

Afghanistan’s rise in white-ball cricket

Having struggled their way through in world cricket, Afghanistan has come quite far. With plenty of match-winners in their ranks, including the modern-day spin wizard Rashid Khan, Afghanistan is now a force to reckon with in the shorter formats.

Their performance in the 2023 50-over World Cup was enough to put theiropposition on notice since. Afghanistan not only beat the defending champions England in Delhi, denting their chances of reaching the semis, but they also came close to beating the eventual winners Australia, only for their star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell to play perhaps the greatest World Cup knock to seal the improbable win.

A few months later, during the T20 WC in the Americas, Afghanistan stunned everyone with a massive win over New Zealand in the group stages. They also beat the mighty Aussies in the Super 8s to reach their maiden semis of an ICC event.

In the final four, South Africa beat them to reach their first T20 WC Final.

(With inputs from agencies)