Noida cricket ground makes history for all the wrong reasons

Seventeen years ago, Kapil Sibal, who was the Union Science and Technology Minister at the time, urged the then Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sharad Pawar, to prepare an itinerary for the international matches in the country based on the weather forecasts provided by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Pawar agreed to the proposal by Sibal who provided the necessary support to the BCCI.

It seems the BCCI no longer consults the IMD; otherwise, there is no plausible reason why the Board did not share the weather forecast for Greater Noida, where the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) was to host a five-day Test against New Zealand starting September 9.

NOIDA’s CLAIM TO SHAME

The match was ultimately abandoned due to persistent rains and the severely inadequate drainage system at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, rendering the ground unplayable.

Despite brief spells of sunshine and hastily borrowed equipment from Delhi, no play was possible over the five days.

This abandonment marked only the eighth time in the 147-year history of Test cricket that a match was called off without a ball being bowled. In India, it was the first instance in 91 years and 291 matches.

Additionally, it was the first time in 91 years and 730 Test matches in Asia that a game was completely abandoned due to rain.

This was to be the first-ever international Test match at the Greater Noida Stadium. But since even the toss of the coin didn’t take place, the ground missed its chance to be recognised as a Test venue in the global cricket arena.

Also Read: Afghanistan-N Zealand Test: Rains expose ill-equipped venue

The last similar abandonment occurred due to fog in 1998 in Faisalabad where the third Test of the Pakistan-Zimbabwe series was to be played.

FURTHER EMBARRASSMENT

Adding to the venue’s woes, photographs emerged showing catering staff washing dishes in a toilet, further damaging the stadium’s reputation.

The episode reflects poorly on both the venue and the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA), which manages the ground with limited staff and equipment, including pitch and ground covers.

Afghanistan has been hosting its international matches abroad, including in India. Greater Noida was selected after the ACB, BCCI, and GNIDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in 2015.

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Since then, Afghanistan has played international matches in Lucknow and Dehradun as well. As the BCCI is a signatory to the MoU, it cannot avoid its responsibility for the Greater Noida fiasco, even if the cricket board’s involvement was indirect.