Abandoned Test Matches: Complete list of games with no balls bowled in Test history

SL vs Pak Day 2. (Pic source: ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

The one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida entered Day 3 with not even a toss taking place. There was no proper drainage facility at the Greater Noida Sports Complex ground and the teams stayed in their hotel rooms. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has allocated certain venues in India for Afghanistan to host their international games at a neutral venue.

The move came due to extremist activities in the country and several team’s reluctance to travel to Afghanistan. This was the third game where India acted as a neutral venue for the Afghans after their games against Ireland and West Indies in 2019. This is not the first instance where a Test match was abandoned due to the reckless weather.

There have been seven instances until now, where rain has marred the proceedings. Australia and England are part of most number of Tests abandoned (3) as their three Ashes fixtures were called off. The same number of fixtures have also been abandoned for New Zealand while they hosted Pakistan and India. Moreover, since India and New Zealand’s Test in Carisbrook, Dunedin in December 1998, the Afghan and Kiwi encounter will become the first abandoned Test in almost 26 years if the same happens.

While there have been several instances where the toss could not take place but the rains even forced the officials to change the format to make a game out of catastrophe. The 1970 Test between Australia and England was turned into an ODI. The same goes for the 1989 Test between New Zealand and Pakistan, as the game was reshaped into an ODI game.

Here’s the list of abandoned Tests over the years: