Afghanistan, Ireland join Test elite

London – Ireland and Afghanistan have been awarded Test match status, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced yesterday, thereby expanding the number of elite level nations for the first time in 17 years.

The move, which means the two countries become full members of the ICC, cricket’s global governing body, takes the number of Test-playing nations from 10 to 12.

Both countries were confirmed as full members after a unanimous vote at an ICC Council meeting during its annual conference in London yesterday.

Now Ireland and Afghanistan’s men’s teams will be eligible to play five-day Test cricket, widely regarded as the sport’s pinnacle format.

Ireland have established themselves on the international scene during the course of several World Cups, recording wins over Pakistan, the West Indies and England.

Afghanistan’s progress has been even more rapid, with many Afghans’ first contact with cricket taking place during the 1980s and 1990s, as refugees fled to Pakistan to escape the Soviet invasion.

Bangladesh were previously the last country to be granted Test status in 2000 and before them Zimbabwe in 1992.

But Afghanistan and Ireland have now joined an exclusive club that also includes founder members Australia and England, who played the first Test match at Melbourne in 1877, South Africa, New Zealand, the West Indies, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Ireland international Gary Wilson welcomed the news with a statement on his own Twitter feed, saying: “An historic day for Irish cricket.

“Current officials, players and management have been major cogs but let’s not forget the tireless volunteers who worked so many years to get us where we are.

“Men who played for free and managed for free...As well as for us, this is for them.”