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The one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand is yet to start at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, as the fourth day of the match was also called off after rain played a spoilsport.
Even the toss for the most-awaited Test match is yet to happen, as the first three days were also abandoned due to wet outfield conditions at . According to ESPNcricinfo, there were covers set out over the majority of the ground in Greater Noida in the early hours of the fourth day of the Test match. Star Afghan all-rounder Rashid Khan will miss the one-off Test against New Zealand due to a back injury. Earlier in July, Rashid sustained the injury while playing in Afghanistan's domestic T20 tournament, the Shpageeza Cricket League (SCL) for Speen Ghar Tigers (SGT). The Black Caps arrived in India on Thursday, with five spin-bowling options namely: Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra, Michael Bracewell, and Glenn Phillips are in the spin department. Earlier at the pre-match press conference before the match Afghan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi talked about having at least "one good venue" for the team in India, a country which has played a big role in their development over the years. They have played their other home Tests in Dehradun, Lucknow, and in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Abu Dhabi. "If you see, India is our home, and when we host teams, the other nations have played more cricket than us here," Shahidi said while addressing the media. "So hopefully we will get one good venue here in India, and we stick with that. If we stick with one venue, it will be more effective for us," he added. 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. (ANI)
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