Starting September 9, 2024, the picturesque Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida will witness a momentous one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand, marking a landmark of sorts for sports enthusiasts. The match, the first-ever Test at this venue, is expected to draw an impressive crowd of over 10,000 passionate cricket fans. (More Cricket News)
It will be Afghanistan's first Test match against New Zealand, and the former will be playing the role of 'hosts' in what promises to be an exciting contest.
Ahead of the face-off, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi shared his thoughts, saying, "It is an honour to play in Noida and be part of such a historic moment for the city. We look forward to our days in the city with a lot of love from cricket fans who we know are here in plenty."
The Afghan skipper added, “We have practised here in the past and it is a privilege playing in the city again in front of these stands. Indian fans are someone we really look forward to seeing and we hope they will show up in force. This match presents a wonderful opportunity for us to bring pride and glory to our nation, and we look forward to doing so in front of such passionate fans.”
The match will be supported by Play Sports, a sporting talent development enterprise. Shubham Choudhary, co-founder and CEO of the company, expressed his enthusiasm about the event, stating, "We are excited to see international players playing test match in Noida for the first time. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which is sure to enthrall cricket fans and add to the growing sports culture is something we are excited about."
The Greater Noida stadium will become the second cricket stadium in India to host its inaugural Test match without the Indian team participating in the game. Further, this will be the second occasion in which Afghanistan will play the inaugural Test match at a newly introduced venue in India. The first instance was against West Indies, at the Ekana International Stadium in Lucknow in 2019.
The Afghans have played Test matches against Bangladesh, India, Ireland, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe (and soon New Zealand), and are yet to play in the longest format against Australia, England, Pakistan and South Africa.
Squads
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ikram Alikhil (WK), Shahidullah Kamal, Gulbadin Naib, Afsar Zazai (WK), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ziaurrahman Akbar, Shamsurrahman, Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Nijat Masoud, Farid Ahmad Malik, Naveed Zadran, Khalil Ahmad and Yama Arab.
New Zealand: Tim Southee (C), Tom Blundell (WK), Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (VC), Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Kane Williamson and Will Young.
