Afghanistan will play an one-off Test match in Australia in 2020 as part of the new ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the five-year period from 2019-2023.
While the likes of Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe have been excluded from ICC’s inaugural nine-team Test Championship, the latest entrants to the five-day format will get the chance to play on Australian soil for the first time.
Afghanistan will play their one-off Test against the hosts ahead of India’s tour of Australia in 2020-21 where they are slated to play four Tests.
Asghar Stanikzai’s men had only recently made their Test bow against the No1 ranked Indians in Bengaluru. The debutants had to taste defeat by an innings and 262-run inside just two days in their maiden Test bow.
Afghanistan had played India in their inaugural Test. Image – BCCI.
According to the new FTP, Afghanistan are also slated to host the Aussies at home in 2022. Until 2022, Afghanistan will also play Tests against Ireland, Zimbabwe and West Indies apart from the Australians.
Ireland and Afghanistan, the two latest teams to achieve full ICC membership, have been assured of 12 Tests each between 2019 and 2022 despite not taking part in the Test Championship.
Ireland have been allotted an away Test against England in 2019 along with a home game against New Zealand in 2022.
Afghanistan currently play their home matches in India with the new Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket stadium in Dehradun being designated as their base.