Afghanistan’s Surprising Reversal: Moving Forward with BCCI Despite ‘Huge Mess’ Claims

Afghanistan is in dangerous waters after harsh remarks made by an unidentified Afghanistan Cricket Board official about the Greater Noida Stadium’s conditions and the BCCI’s alleged rejection of the ACB’s request for alternative venues were extensively covered by several Indian media outlets.

Afghanistan has been offered locations to train and host matches outside of their unstable country by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), including the northern Indian cities of Lucknow and Dehradun.

Although they expressed disappointment, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officials have refrained from criticizing for fear that it may damage their relationship with the BCCI.

“You won’t believe me, but this stadium isn’t as nice as the ones in Afghanistan. Our infrastructure has been better during the last five years. The Lucknow Stadium was our initial option, while Dehradun was our second. The BCCI informed us that both states are hosting their own T20 competitions after our pleas were denied. We were left with no other option and this was the only ground accessible,” an ACB official was cited as saying.

However, Afghanistan officials made an official statement to reporters following the cancellation of the second day’s play.

The manager of the ACB international cricket team, Menhajuddin Naz, told reporters, “Everyone, including the ground authorities, have worked hard.”

“Even if it had been any other venue, they would have struggled to get it back on time.”

“We selected Greater Noida instead of Bengaluru and Kanpur.” Naz stated that Greater Noida was chosen above Kanpur, a city in the north, or Bengaluru, a city in the south, as the host city for the Test.

“We decided on Greater Noida since it offered the most logistical convenience. It had greater connectivity from Kabul and was closer to Delhi, according to Naz.

Play was canceled for a second day in a row at the Greater Noida field due to ineffective attempts to dry out the pitch ahead of the one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand. The grounds crew covered sections of the field, dug up and replaced a soggy outfield portion with dry soil and new turf, and utilized electric fans to dry the damp patches. Umpires declared the conditions unplayable despite their attempts, with one calling the situation “a huge mess”.

The location, which is hosting its maiden Test, has drawn criticism for its subpar amenities and outdated drainage system. Even while Monday and Tuesday were sunny, the outfield remains drenched from the monsoon season’s persistent rain. Afghanistan has previously hosted multiple international matches at this location since 2017. New Zealand, who were unable to train prior to the Test, set up nets on the site and carried out drills.

Tim Southee’s New Zealand, who will next play two Tests in Sri Lanka before returning to play three more against India, has not responded publicly.

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