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Afghanistan is gearing up to host New Zealand for a singular Test match scheduled from September 9-13 in the Greater Noida Area, India. This encounter marks Afghanistan’s debut Test match against New Zealand, following their recent victory over the Kiwis in the T20 World Cup.
This will be Afghanistan’s 10th Test match overall, having secured wins against Ireland (2019), Bangladesh (2019), and Zimbabwe (2021) since obtaining Test status in 2017. The venue in Greater Noida has witnessed Afghanistan play against several other teams, now including their upcoming clash with New Zealand.
Conversely, New Zealand has been active in Test cricket, engaging recently with Bangladesh, South Africa, and Australia. They rebounded against Bangladesh to level the series 1-1 after a defeat in the first Test, showcasing their resilience. Currently standing third on the World Test Championship points table with a 50% win rate from six matches (three wins and three losses), New Zealand faces upcoming series against India and England in the coming months.
Afghanistan’s journey in Test cricket continues to unfold, and the upcoming match against New Zealand promises to be a significant milestone. Mr. Mirwais Ashraf, Chairman of the ACB, enthusiastically shared his anticipation for hosting New Zealand for the first time, highlighting the occasion as a valuable experience for Afghanistan’s evolving cricketing landscape and said: “We are delighted to host a quality New Zealand Test team for the first time in our cricketing history. This is a testament to the hard work we have put in through numerous discussions and meetings with different boards on the sidelines of the various ICC Board Meetings.”
“The Blackcaps are an outstanding all-format team in world cricket, and we hope to reach an agreement with New Zealand Cricket for white-ball bilateral matches in the future” he added further.
This upcoming encounter marks the first time these teams will face each other since Afghanistan’s convincing victory over New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Afghanistan defeated New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2024.
Earlier this year, Afghanistan’s cricket calendar faced a void when Australia withdrew from a scheduled three-match T20I series in August. However, the upcoming Test match against New Zealand will now help fill that gap. In 2024, Afghanistan’s Test cricket journey has seen them endure defeats against Sri Lanka and Ireland across two matches. Out of their first nine Tests, they have won three and lost six. Their most recent Test series loss came against Bangladesh last year, with their last victory in this format dating back to 2021.
In the recent T20 World Cup, Afghanistan showcased a remarkable performance, defeating formidable teams such as New Zealand and Australia en route to reaching the semi-finals for the first time in any ICC event. Their campaign came to an unfortunate end with a loss to South Africa in the first semi-final, where they were dismissed for just 56 runs amid heavy criticism of the pitch conditions in Trinidad. Rahhmanullah Gurbaz emerged as Afghanistan’s top-scorer in the tournament, amassing 281 runs from 8 games at an impressive average of 35.12.
