Greater Noida, Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Stadium: The only Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand was scheduled to start from September 9 at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Stadium in Greater Noida, but even after two days have passed, the match has not started. The toss has not even taken place in the match yet. Because on the very first day, the toss was constantly delayed due to the wet ground and the whole day was wasted. The game was expected to start the next day, but due to the wet ground, the game could not start for the second consecutive day.
Now on the third day too, the ground became more wet due to heavy rain in the evening. Due to which the chances of the match being held on the third day are less. In such a situation, now all eyes are on match referee Javagal Srinath. He will assess the wet outfield of the ground and then give a report.
Lack of facilities and chaos in the stadium
Actually, this cricket stadium of Greater Noida has been in the headlines since day one due to its disorganization and lack of facilities. The stadium does not even have adequate covers to protect the ground from rain. There is also no super sopper system to dispose of the excess water accumulated on the ground due to wet ground. This is the reason why the ground could not be fully ready for the game in the first two days of the Test match. The remaining action was completed by inexperienced ground staff.
no matches planned
This cricket stadium in Greater Noida hosts not only international matches but also domestic matches. The BCCI has not organized any domestic match here since 2019. Given the poor condition of the stadium, there is little chance of any match being held in the future.
can be suspended for 1 year
As per ICC's 'Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Procedure', the match referee is required to send the pitch and outfield report form to the ICC's Senior Cricket Operator Manager after each match. The manager sends the report to the host board within 14 days of receiving the report. And informs them of the negative points imposed on the stadium. If the Greater Noida stadium gets 6 or more negative points, it can be suspended from hosting international matches for 1 year.