In a shocking turn of events in the world of cricket, the Afghanistan national team has declared that they will “never come back” to Greater Noida after a series of mishaps left the players and officials frustrated and disillusioned. The one-off Test match against New Zealand, which was eagerly anticipated, has turned into a debacle, with the ground staff resorting to bizarre tactics in an attempt to prepare the stadium.
The troubles began well before the match, which was noticeably unprepared despite no rain affecting the conditions. Complaints emerged regarding the lack of basic amenities, and the press box, originally equipped with tents, was deemed unacceptable by both players and media representatives alike. ”This is a huge mess; we are never coming back here,” expressed an official from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). Their dissatisfaction stems not only from inadequate facilities but also miscommunication with stadium management regarding preparations that were guaranteed to be satisfactory.
As tensions rose, the groundstaff undertook peculiar measures to get the match underway. In one of the strangest scenes ever witnessed in cricket, they were seen uprooting grass from the practice area and transplanting it onto the wet patches of the main playing surface. This unusual strategy left spectators and team officials in disbelief, as the hasty actions seemed more like a last-ditch effort to prevent the match from being canceled than a professional approach to venue management.
This incident marks a significant blow to the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, which has housed Afghanistan’s home matches since it received ICC approval in 2016. Despite having previously hosted international fixtures, the infrastructure has clearly failed to meet the expectations required for a Test match, leading to calls for immediate improvements. ACB members have expressed their distress over the situation, emphasizing that they were promised a facility that simply does not exist in reality.
As Afghanistan navigates through the repercussions of this experience, the concerns voiced by captain Hashmatullah Shahidi about the venue’s infrastructure resonate deeply. He stressed the need for a reliable and well-equipped ground to host international matches. “India is our home, and when we host teams, we hope to offer a better venue,” he stated, hinting at the importance of proper facilities for future engagements.
With the national team now vowing never to return to Greater Noida, stakeholders in the sport will undoubtedly need to reflect and take action to prevent similar debacles in the future.
