The recent Afghanistan vs New Zealand one-off Test, abandoned without a single ball being bowled, marks the eighth such instance in cricket’s long history. This rare occurrence, dating back to 1890, has only happened seven times before, with the last incident nearly 26 years ago in 1998. Let’s look back at these unusual moments in cricket history:
1. England vs Australia, Old Trafford, Manchester, 1890
In the third and final Test of the series, England, led by WG Grace, had already secured victory in the first two matches. However, rain poured continuously for three days, preventing even the toss from taking place. Australia’s captain, Billy Murdoch, never got a chance to compete, and the Test was abandoned.
2. England vs Australia, Old Trafford, Manchester, 1938
Almost five decades later, another Ashes Test was abandoned at the same venue. In a series tied 1-1, the third Test was rained out without a toss. Wally Hammond led England, and Don Bradman captained Australia. The series ended in a draw.
3. Australia vs England, Melbourne Cricket Ground, 1970
The third Test of a seven-match series was halted after three days of rain. England, led by Ray Illingworth, had chosen to bowl after winning the toss, but the game never progressed. A 60-over per side match was held on the final day, marking the first-ever One-Day International, which Australia won by 5 wickets.
4. New Zealand vs Pakistan, Dunedin, 1989
John Wright’s New Zealand and Imran Khan’s Pakistan faced incessant rain, leading to the abandonment of the first Test in a series that ended 0-0. A One-Day International was organized on the scheduled fourth day, with New Zealand securing victory by 8 wickets.
5. West Indies vs England, Bourda, Guyana, 1990
Viv Richards captained the West Indies in this rain-marred second Test of a four-match series against Graham Gooch’s England. After three days of rain, the match was called off, and the West Indies went on to win an ODI arranged on the fifth day by 7 wickets.
6. Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, Faisalabad, 1998
This third Test of a series, with Zimbabwe leading 1-0, was halted due to heavy fog that severely reduced visibility. Aamer Sohail led Pakistan, and Alistair Campbell captained Zimbabwe. Unlike other cases where rain was the culprit, thick fog was the cause of abandonment after four days.
7. New Zealand vs India, Dunedin, 1998
Mohammad Azharuddin’s India and Stephen Fleming’s New Zealand were set for the first Test of a three-match series. However, rain continued into the third day, and the match was abandoned. An unofficial one-day match was held on the fourth day.
8. Afghanistan vs New Zealand, Greater Noida, 2024
The Afghanistan-New Zealand Test match became the eighth Test in history to be abandoned without a ball being bowled. The match had to be called off due to persistent rain and an unplayable outfield, continuing this rare tradition in the game.
These abandoned Tests are a reminder of how unpredictable weather and natural conditions can still interfere with even the most meticulously planned cricket matches.
