Black Caps players and staff inspect the Great Noida ground during the scheduled one off test between New Zealand and Afghanistan, 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The inaugural cricket test between New Zealand and Afghanistan has become just the eighth test in the nearly 150 years to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.
No play has been possible on any of the five scheduled days due to a combination of a poor drainage system and wet weather.
The match referee will now complete a report on the standard of the venue and present it to the ICC, which could put the Greater Noida ground - hosting its first test - in jeopardy of losing its test status.
In nearly 150 years of test cricket and more than 2500 games, just seven tests have been abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The Black Caps have an unfortunate history of being involved in matches lost to the rain. The last was in 1998 at Carisbrook in Dunedin, when New Zealand were due to play India.
In 2008 when they played Bangladesh at Mirpur, the first three days of the match were lost to the weather, with the game ultimately ending in a draw.
Jesse Ryder top-scored for the Black Caps, making 91 in their first innings of 262/6 declared, while skipper Dan Vetorri snared one of his 20 five-wicket test hauls, taking 5/66.
In 2016 against South Africa in Durban, the Black Caps lost the final three days of the first test in the series. South Africa batting first scored 263, and New Zealand were 15/2 in reply early on day two when the rain arrived, and no further play was possible.
In 1989 Carisbrook also had a match abandoned without any play, when New Zealand were due to play Pakistan while the first test to be called off without any play was in 1890 at Old Trafford in Manchester when England were due to play Australia.
Afghanistan were given test status in 2017, and this was just their 10th scheduled match.
New Zealand now head to Sri Lanka for two tests in Galle, the first of which is in Galle starting on Wednesday.
Following that they are back to India for three tests against the hosts, the first of which starts on October 16.
