Afghanistan v New Zealand historic Test match which is to be played at the Greater Noida stadium has been delayed due to poor arrangements by ground staff for the second day in a row. This had reportedly led to Afghanistan players vowing never to play any more matches at Greater Noida Stadium.
With a historic one-off Test against New Zealand slated to begin on Monday (Sep 9), the match has been nothing short of a disaster for the promoters, with the first day of the fight being rained off due to insufficient facilities.
While the weather has hampered proceedings, the poor drainage, players’ hospitality, and media facilities have made headlines.
The Afghan players are agitated, while the BlackCaps are taken aback by the situation at Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Stadium. The organizers were unable to provide basic facilities for the one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand.
The board, which takes pride in constructing new and enhanced infrastructure, now faces big questions. Is the stadium’s drainage system well below par? Why was there no preparedness for emergencies?
The informal approach may have negative consequences for the venue. The International Cricket Council (ICC) may declare the ground unfit for international cricket.
Greater Noida stadium’s poor facilities and arrangements maar Afghanistan and New Zealand squads’ experience
On Day 2 of the match, the toss had yet to take place, and media people had complained about poor amenities, including a lack of water and substandard food. On the other side, there were no separate restrooms for female officials, emphasizing the mismanagement.
The main issue that drew the attention of the ACB officials was the insufficient drainage facility. Even though there was no rain on Day 1, the insufficient drainage facility made it difficult for play to begin. Overnight rain had caused bad outfield conditions at the stadium, but the lack of infrastructure was a major embarrassment for ACB executives.
“This is a huge mess, we are never coming back here. The players are also unhappy with the facilities here,. We had spoken with the concerned people well in advance and were assured by the stadium guys that everything will be in order (pertaining to the media facilities),” an ACB official said.
Sports Tak has learned that the ground personnel consists of 20-25 members, with 15 being outsourced. There are five supper soppers, including two automatic and three manual. The coverings and fan were leased from a tent house. The organizers were unprepared for the downpour. They lacked the necessary resources to cover the entire ground.
The stadium’s caterers were observed washing their utensils and preparing food using washroom tap water. The stadium’s unsanitary conditions have also sparked concern, lending credence to Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officials’ charges of mismanagement.
Afghan cricketers were unhappy with the facilities provided to them. They don’t want to play their home matches in Greater Noida but at Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow.
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