Despite high anticipation for Afghanistan's historic Test match against New Zealand, weather disruptions have taken centre stage, with the first three days seeing no play due to a wet outfield at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground. Fans have been left wondering why this one-off Test isn’t part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle.
The Afghanistan vs New Zealand Test, scheduled to begin on September 9, faced delays due to poor drainage, inadequate ground covers, and inexperienced ground staff, making a washout likely. However, even if the match had proceeded, it wouldn’t have impacted the WTC standings—and here’s why.
Afghanistan is not one of the nine teams participating in the WTC 2023-25 cycle. Despite earning Test status in 2017, Afghanistan, alongside Ireland and Zimbabwe, has been excluded from the current cycle due to the limited number of red-ball matches scheduled for them. As a result, this bilateral Test, while significant for Afghanistan’s cricket journey, does not count toward WTC points.
New Zealand, currently ranked third in the WTC standings, will soon face Sri Lanka in a crucial two-Test series, followed by three Tests in India. While the Afghanistan match won’t impact their WTC campaign, these upcoming fixtures will play a pivotal role in New Zealand’s quest for a spot in the WTC final.