The more recent events that took place in Dunedin on the tour of New Zealand, in 1998-99, are particularly in the memory of everybody who loves Test cricket for some reasons which weren’t pleasant to happen on any cricket ground.
The match was the opening Test of the series in Carisbrook, Dunedin, where an Azharuddin-led Indian side faced Stephen Flemings New Zealand and the players were to reach the field but the players never crossed the dressing room.
Rain and untoward weather did not permit even a single minute of play on all the five days and hence the match was a no-result match. There was no possibility of the toss also.
More of the same was witnessed at Greater Noida sports complex grounds on the outskirts of Delhi, during the test match between Afghanistan and Bangladesh, where in due to excessive rain and then wet conditions the still of the pre-game toss was also missed resulting in a no contest.
For the last several years, the greater Noida stadium has been a surrogate home for Afghanistan in order to conduct ‘home’ series for them
This was the eighth match in history in which no delivery was bowled and the mustard was the first for a period of 26 years since play was seen in the India vs New Zealand match back in December 1998. The follow is the complete list:
- England vs Australia – Old Trafford – 1890
- England vs Australia – Old Trafford -1938
- Australia vs England- Melbourne- 1970-71
- New Zealand vs Pakistan – Dunedin – 1988-89
- West Indies vs England – Georgetown, Guyana – 1989-90
- Pakistan vs Zimbabwe – Faisalabad – 1998-99
- New Zealand vs India – Dunedin- 1998-99
- Afghanistan vs New Zealand – Greater Noida – 2024
