Afghan-NZ Test faces complete washout

The third day of the only Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand was called off because of rain on Wednesday, with the match in danger of being washed out without a ball being bowled.

Afghanistan's adopted home ground outside India's capital at Greater Noida has been beset by problems, with rain falling since Tuesday night on an already waterlogged outfield that caused the first two days to be lost.

The venue, which is hosting its first Test, has come under scrutiny for lacking world-class facilities and basic drainage.

Electric fans have been used in desperate attempts to make sodden patches playable at the ground, which saw dry weather and sunshine on the previous two days.

Ground staff dug up one wet area refilling it with dry soil and laying fresh turf.

Afghanistan have hosted several T20 and one-day internationals since 2017 at the venue and their cricket board have defended their choice of Greater Noida.

"We considered three potential venues in India -- Bengaluru, Kanpur, and Greater Noida," they said Tuesday, noting the first two were "unavailable due to BCCI's domestic matches".

It is only Afghanistan's 10th Test match.

Tim Southee's New Zealand are due to travel on to Sri Lanka for two Tests beginning next week before returning for three more against India.

Afghanistan Cricket Board keen to host ACC events

The meeting also focused on various cricketing matters related to the 2026 Asian Games

In a recent meeting of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) held in Kuala Lumpur under the chairmanship of Jay Shah, significant discussions and decisions were made regarding the future of cricket in the region.

One of the key highlights of the meeting was the Afghanistan Cricket Board's (ACB) expression of interest in hosting ACC events. This move indicates Afghanistan's eagerness to play a more prominent role in the regional cricketing landscape.

The meeting also focused on various cricketing matters related to the 2026 Asian Games. In addition, discussions were held regarding the ACC's future tournaments, media rights from 2024 to 2031, and the potential inclusion of new countries in the ACC's activities.

Another important topic on the agenda was the scheduling of the Bangladesh-Afghanistan series. The two teams are set to face off across all formats, with Bangladesh's tour of Afghanistan being finalized. Bangladesh has provided a positive response regarding the tour, indicating the series will proceed as planned.

Representing Pakistan at the meeting was COO Salman Naseer, as PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was unable to attend due to other engagements.