Due to persistent rain, Day 4 of Afghanistan-New Zealand Test match at Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground in Greater Noida has been called off. Afghanistan are celebrating gaining ODI status and are playing red-ball cricket for the first time this match.
Kane Williamson concedes his team struggled on a difficult surface but sees it as an opportunity to review their performances and evaluate their performances going forward read more new zealand national cricket team vs afghanistan national cricket team timeline.
Broadcasting and media coverage
New Zealand cricket fans will have access to live coverage from Afghanistan vs NZ Test 2024 around the globe via television and streaming platforms, with Eurosports in India broadcasting the match while FanCode app or website users in New Zealand can catch it live as this one-off Test takes place for the first time between two nations in a Test match.
New Zealand captain Tim Southee will lead his side out against Pakistan next month, seeking revenge for their humiliation at Pune and setting themselves up for a six-match series against Pakistan that could determine their world ranking position. It will be no easy feat; recent performances for New Zealand have not gone well and they need to improve quickly if they wish to maintain top spot on this ICC rankings table.
Afghanistan will aim to capitalize on their maiden Test win and achieve another triumph, while also finding ways to cope with key player departures like Rashid Khan, Rahamnullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Nabi Fazallaq Farooqui Azmatullah Omarzai and Noor Ahmad Zadran.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson acknowledged his team needed to work hard on Saturday following a slow start, especially given their strong winning streak in recent matches against Australia, South Africa and Pakistan. They would review their game against West Indies before going forward into their next encounter against them – key if they want to extend it further.
Weather could play an influential role on day two in Greater Noida when it comes to pitch conditions; rain may affect conditions adversely and result in plenty of bowling opportunities if conditions do not improve.
After Rashid Khan was dropped from their squad, Matt Henry, Michael Bracewell and Ben Sears are likely to take up frontline pace roles for New Zealand. Ajaz Patel may provide another spin option; however, without another specialist spinner they may rely more on fast bowlers.
Match scorecards
On September 9 at Greater Noida Cricket Ground in Greater Noida, Afghanistan and New Zealand will compete in their one-off Test match – Afghanistan’s 10th overall and their inaugural encounter against Kiwis! Afghani hopes to build upon recent success and show that they are an international force worth reckoning with.
The game will begin at 7pm IST and can be seen live telecast by Star Sports in India as well as online through Disney+ Hotstar app and website. Fans in North America and Southeast Asia may use Willow TV live-streaming facilities.
Afghanistan may be without their all-rounder Rashid Khan for this game, but their squad remains formidable in any format. Already they have defeated Ireland and Bangladesh in their ODI series and South Africa was no match against them as evidenced by an emphatic win last time out.
New Zealand are struggling, having lost two matches already and failing to impress in Guyana. While they remain in contention, another loss against West Indies would put them on the back foot and send shockwaves through their lineup. Kane Williamson believes his team needs to review its performance quickly in order to move on quickly with future matches.
Batting has been the main problem, with only Glenn Phillips and Matt Henry reaching double figures in their opening innings. Bowling performances have also been poor; therefore they will need to improve in their next match against West Indies.
The one-off Test between these sides will provide both teams an invaluable chance to fine-tune their preparations ahead of their series in India. New Zealand will look to break a longstanding hoodoo against Afghanistan while Black Caps may lose out if they miss playoff qualification; any loss to Asian minnows would be devastating blow to their hopes and ambitions.
Bilateral series
Traditional bilateral series that have long been the lifeblood of international cricket are rapidly losing favor due to multiple factors, including T20 leagues and declining quality international cricket. If the ICC truly wants to protect Test cricket, they must add context for these matches while reviewing funding priorities accordingly.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson admitted his team was outshone by Afghanistan across all facets of the game, but noted that New Zealand must review this loss quickly to prepare themselves to face West Indies later on this year. Additionally, Williamson applauded Ajaz Patel’s bowling performance as well as those on his side.
Day 1 of Afghanistan-New Zealand one-off Test was abandoned without any deliveries being bowled at Greater Noida due to heavy rainfall over recent days leaving an extremely wet pitch, making it hard for umpires to play the match and may also force its postponement again on Monday morning.
Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran made an excellent start. Hitting early boundaries to put pressure on New Zealand, their performance eased off significantly after powerplay. Unfortunately they were unable to capitalize on their strong start.
Both teams must put forth their best effort if they wish to claim the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy and secure victory in this match, which will also serve as an invaluable preparation tool for World Cup preparations. Furthermore, it will serve as an important test for Afghani nation.
Rashid Khan and Rahamnullah Gurbaz will both be absent, necessitating young players such as Mohammad Nabi and Fazallaq Farooqui to step up. Unfortunately, experienced players such as Mohammad Shahzad and Noor Ahmad will also be missing, compounding this loss even further for the team and making performance even harder in matches.
Strategy
New Zealand have won their opening two matches against Afghanistan but now face a formidable challenge to stay on their winning path. Their next Test, taking place at Greater Noida and featuring an uncertain pitch that may favour spinners over pace bowlers, has seen considerable rainfall before play commenced – an unlikely combination.
Both teams are expected to field their strongest teams for this match. Afghanistan rarely plays Test cricket with major nations so this match presents them with an opportunity to showcase their potential, while New Zealand must manage many different players and ensure there is an equilibrium between their spinners and fast bowlers.
Starting September 9, a one-off Test between New Zealand and Afghanistan national cricket teams is set to start, marking their inaugural contest ever. RTA Sports in Afghanistan and Etisalat in New Zealand will broadcast it live; additionally, fans can access online streaming of this match via FanCode app and website.
As only two matches between these teams exist, these contests have provided some thrilling contests. Their 2016 T20 World Cup match in Nagpur stands out as an exhilarating encounter, featuring Martin Guptill’s outstanding innings which helped the Black Caps win it. Both sides share similar styles of playing cricket that focus on building strong foundations with bat and ball before attacking during later stages.
New Zealand will hope to bounce back quickly when they face West Indies in their next match, having suffered an embarrassing defeat against Afghanistan in their previous match. They boast an excellent net run rate but this loss means they now sit second on the points table; therefore they must win their remaining games to retain first place in this tournament. Kane Williamson expressed his congratulations for Afghanistan’s win and stated they outperformed his team across all facets of play; adding that New Zealand must quickly review this defeat and move on as their schedule becomes packed with games throughout this tournament.
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