India to host Afghanistan for debut Test in 2019-20
Afghanistan will play their first Test match in India. (AP File Photo) Afghanistan will play their first Test match in India. (AP File Photo)
India have decided to host Afghanistan for their first debut Test match in 2019-20 after they were awarded Test status by International Cricket Council in June earlier this year. Afghanistan were given a Test status alongside Ireland. Earlier, Afghanistan were supposed to play Australia in their first Test in 2019 but Board of Control for Cricket in India acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary on Monday said that India, because of their historic relationshio with Afghanistan, will host the neighbours for a Test match.
“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,” Amitabh Choudhary said after the Special General Meeting in New Delhi.
The ICC in June this year gave Afghanistan and Ireland status of full members which made them the 11th and 12h Test-playing nations. Afghanistan has been using cricket facilities in India for long now.
The BCCI has extended a helping hand to Afghanistan on a number of occasions. The team from the war-ravaged nation has hosted its home games in India, most recently the series against Ireland in Greater Noida.
Two of Afghanistan’s most popular cricketers Rashid Khan and Mohammed Nabi also became the first cricketers to be part of the Indian Premier League as both were picked by Sunriseres Hyderbad in the auction earlier this year.
(with PTI inputs)
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