Afghanistan vs New Zealand breaks 91-year record with Test ...

Test cricket, with its five-day format, often mesmerises fans with extended displays of skillful batting and strategic bowling. However, the excitement can sometimes be dampened by adverse weather conditions. Rain or other environmental factors can lead to the entire match being abandoned without a single delivery being bowled, leaving spectators and players disappointed.
As fans eagerly anticipated action in the Afghanistan vs New Zealand one-off Test on Friday, the match was unfortunately called off without any play at the Greater Noida Stadium.

Due to inadequate facilities and adverse weather conditions, the match was abandoned without a single delivery being bowled. This marked a historic first in Indian cricket, as it became the first instance on Indian soil where a Test match was completely abandoned without a ball being bowled. India hosted its first Test match in 1933.

7 Test matches that were called off without a ball being bowled

Historical abandonments in Test cricket

7 Test matches in cricket history have been abandoned without a single ball being bowled.

Early instances

The first occurred on August 25, 1890, at Old Trafford, Manchester, when the Test between Australia and England was called off due to rain, and neither team captains met for a toss. Another match at the same venue on July 8, 1938, between Australia and England also suffered from rain, with no toss taking place.

1970s and 1980s abandonments

On December 31, 1970, a Test between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was abandoned as soon as the players stepped onto the field due to rain. The fourth instance was on February 3, 1989, at Carisbrook, Dunedin, where the Test between New Zealand and Pakistan was abandoned due to heavy rain. Despite this, an ODI was scheduled for February 6, 1989, and went ahead as planned.

1990s abandonments

On March 10, 1990, the Test match between England and West Indies at Bourda, Georgetown, Guyana, was also abandoned due to rain, although an ODI was played on the fifth day. In 1998, two matches were abandoned without any play. The first on December 17 at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, between Pakistan and Zimbabwe, saw no teams announced for the Test, leading to its abandonment. The second on December 18, at Carisbrook, Dunedin, between India and New Zealand was abandoned on Day 3, with an unofficial ODI scheduled for Day 4 instead.
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