Afghanistan cricket team to play maiden Test vs India

Afghanistan cricket team will play its first ever Test vs India in India.

Afghanistan cricket team will play its first ever Test vs India in India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary confirmed Monday.

Afghanistan were approved as full members by the International Cricket Council (ICC) earlier this year. (Getty Images)

Ireland and Afghanistan were confirmed as full members after a unanimous vote at an International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in London earlier this year.

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As a result, Ireland and Afghanistan take the total of countries playing Tests to 12.

“Afghans were scheduled to play their first Test in 2019 versus Australia but considering the historic relationship between India and Afghanistan, we decided to host their first Test,” said Chaudhary.

Until 1982, there were only seven full members but that year Sri Lanka were admitted. Zimbabwe joined in 1992 and Bangladesh became the most recent member in 2000.

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Cricket has a long history in Afghanistan but the country played amongst the sports minnows until gaining one-day International (ODI) status in 2011.

In 2015, Afghanistan team played its first 50-over World Cup.

Chaudhary also said it’s up to the government to decide whether India will resume bilateral ties with Pakistan.

“If the government agrees will make space for India-Pakistan bilateral series,” he said.

(With agency inputs)