Afghanistan are set to face New Zealand in a one-off Test match in September at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground in India. This will be the first time the two teams meet in the longest format of the game. This landmark match will mark Afghanistan’s 10th Test match, and their third in 2024, making it their busiest year in the format to date. The Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, which has previously served as Afghanistan’s adopted home ground, will host its first Test match, adding another layer of significance to this encounter.
The Test is likely to be held from September 9 to 13, approximately one month before New Zealand’s three-Test tour of India, with the first game set to begin on October 16. In between, New Zealand will tour Sri Lanka for a Test series, with dates yet to be announced. With this match, only England, Australia, Pakistan, and South Africa will remain as the major Test-playing nations yet to face Afghanistan in the format. Australia’s withdrawal from hosting Afghanistan in a Test in 2021, citing humanitarian reasons, has delayed their encounter.
Earlier this year, Australia also pulled out of a three-match T20I series scheduled for August, leaving a gap in Afghanistan’s calendar that will now be partly filled by the upcoming New Zealand Test. In their two Tests so far in 2024, Afghanistan has faced defeats against Sri Lanka and Ireland. They also lost a one-off Test in Bangladesh last year, with their last victory in the format dating back to March 2021, when they defeated Zimbabwe in the UAE. Despite recent setbacks, Afghanistan holds a commendable 3-6 win-loss record in their first nine Tests.
As Afghanistan and New Zealand prepare for this historic clash, cricket fans worldwide will be eagerly watching to see how these two teams perform in their first-ever Test encounter.
