Afghanistan and Ireland have been approved as Full Members by the ICC, meaning they have become cricket's 11th and 12th Test-playing nations. This was signed off on by the ICC Board in London on Thursday, during the ICC's AGM.

Afghanistan and Ireland's boards had applied to the ICC to have their status upgraded from Associates, and this was put to vote at the meeting on Thursday and unanimously supported.

Ireland first gained ODI status in 2005 after finishing runners-up in the ICC Trophy tournament, which they hosted, to gain their first World Cup berth. Two years later they scored a shock upset of Pakistan on St Patrick's Day in Jamaica and they've never looked back, qualifying for two subsequent World Cups in which they defeated England and West Indies to further press their case that they could maintain competitiveness with other Test nations.

"Test cricket is the pinnacle, it's the best. Not being able to play Tests was the reason cited by some players, who weren't able to achieve that career fulfilment with Ireland, as the reason they went to England," Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said. "That reason is now removed, we can play Tests ourselves. Who can say for certain that players won't leave in the future, but that can't be the reason for it now."

Afghanistan's rise has been even sharper having first gained ODI status in 2009 with a sixth-place finish at that year's World Cup Qualifier in South Africa. It followed three consecutive promotions over the previous year when they began in Division Five of the World Cricket League. Like Ireland, they have demonstrated the talent to stand toe-to-toe with Full Member nations, securing three straight ODI and T20I series wins over Zimbabwe as well as a win over eventual champion West Indies at the 2016 World T20. Most recently they drew their maiden ODI series in West Indies.

Graphic: Ireland and Afghanistan join the Test club ESPNcricinfo Ltd

"Another day that we can lock in our history and be proud," Shafiq Stanikzai, ACB chief executive, said, adding there was still more work to be done. "Every achievement is great, but it opens the door to challenges. We'll be hosting our international matches in Greater Noida and Sharjah, there should be a day when we can host inside Afghanistan."

The vote is not just an endorsement of each country's respective on-field talents but a seal of approval for efforts made in recent years to build up their domestic structures. In the last three years, both countries have started a multi-day competition with each receiving first-class designation from the ICC in the last year, a harbinger of Thursday's Full Member affirmation.

Since 2005, both countries have demonstrated their readiness for five-day cricket through their dominance in the Intercontinental Cup, the ICC's first-class competition for Associates. Ireland has won four of the last five editions, with Afghanistan interrupting that streak with a victory in the 2010 tournament. The two sides currently sit in the top-two spots in the current edition of the competition, Afghanistan holding a one-point lead after securing an innings victory at Greater Noida over Ireland earlier this year.

Afghanistan have only lost once in the 20 Intercontinental Cup matches they've played, that coming in the 2013 final to Ireland. Ireland's record is just as enviable, with 24 wins, three losses and 10 draws in 37 matches. But they will now be leaving that competition behind at the end of the year, with the door to Test cricket now wide open to them.</s>LONDON: Ireland and Afghanistan were awarded Test match status on Thursday (Jun 22), taking the number of countries playing at the pinnacle of cricket from 10 to 12 in a decision described as "fantastic" and "remarkable".

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

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

Bangladesh were previously the last country to be granted Test status in 2000.

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.

"It's fantastic news for all involved with Irish cricket and I'd like to thank the ICC and the members for the positive outcome," said Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom in a statement.

"Test cricket is the pinnacle of the sport and it's what we've all been aiming for."

Ireland captain William Porterfield added: "It's wonderful news for all of Irish cricket, with all the players already talking about playing in a Test match for the first time.

"We've all played in World Cups and achieved some memorable results along the way, but to play in a Test would be a bit special."

Ireland international Gary Wilson tweeted: "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."

Meanwhile Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive Shafiq Stanikzai said: "For a nation like Afghanistan it is a huge and remarkable achievement, the entire nation will be celebrating.

"Afghanistan cricket has gone from strength to strength and we dared to dream that this would happen and today it has become a reality."

Afghanistan international Mohammad Nabi took to his own Twitter feed to say: "Finally our hard work pays off and the dream of @ICC Full-Membership comes true. Can't control my sentiments."

Cricket has been played in Ireland for nearly 200 years but it wasn't until 1969 that they made the rest of the world game take true notice when they bowled out the West Indies for just 25 at Sion Mills in a match recorded by television.

Ireland have since established themselves during the course of several World Cups, recording one-day international 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.

The ICC announced the establishment of cricket's 11th and 12th Test nations with a statement via its Twitter feed saying: "@ACBofficials and @Irelandcricket confirmed as Full Members after a unanimous vote at ICC Full Council meeting.

"Both will now be eligible to play Test cricket following a recommendation that their applications met newly approved member criteria."

ICC chief executive David Richardson paid tribute to the efforts of the two new Test countries.

"I'd like to congratulate Afghanistan and Ireland on their Full Membership status which is the result of their dedication to improving performance both off and on the field resulting in the significant development and growth of cricket in their respective countries," said Richardson.

"Both have clearly demonstrated they meet the new criteria and as such have made the progression to Full Membership," the former South Africa wicket-keeper added.

Last year, Afghanistan's national team shifted its base from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Noida, Delhi, while India's former batsman Lalchand Rajput replaced Pakistan's Inzamam-ul-Haq as their national team coach.

Questions remain, however, about how well Afghanistan and Ireland, now coached by former New Zealand off-spinner John Bracewell, will do in the game's longest format.

Bangladesh famously floundered for their first decade while New Zealand took 26 years to win their first Test.</s>Ireland and Afghanistan have attained Test status after they were granted full membership by the International Cricket Council.

The ICC met for its annual conference in London on Thursday and confirmed Ireland and Afghanistan as full members after a unanimous vote.

Ireland have been playing as affiliate members since 1993 and have recorded famous victories over Pakistan, England and the West Indies in that time.

Now they will be able to play Test cricket against the world's best, with Afghanistan also making the step up having only achieved affiliate membership in 2013.

It means the number of countries competing at Test level of international cricket has risen to 12.

They are the first admissions since Bangladesh gained Test status in 2000.

The ICC confirmed the news on Thursday afternoon, said: "Both will now be eligible to play Test cricket following a recommendation that their applications met newly approved member criteria."

The move sees Ireland and Afghanistan take the total number of member countries to 12 and they are the first to be given Test status since Bangladesh in 2000.

Ireland international Gary Wilson welcomed the news by posting a statement on his own Twitter account.

"An historic day for Irish cricket," he wrote.

"Years worth of work feels like it has been recognised. There are many people in the background that have made this happen. 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. Good men no longer with us like John Wright and John Caldwell, no doubt there are others.

"As well as for us, this is for them. No doubt they would be as delighted as we are. Here's to the beginning."

Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, offered his congratulations as the country now prepares to host Test cricket for the first time.

"I am delighted that Ireland will take its place among the Test playing nations," he said.

"It's great news for the game here and a fitting result for many years of hard work and campaigning by Cricket Ireland.

"Ireland has enjoyed some notable successes at International level in the shorter versions of the game. We can now look forward to some great days ahead as Ireland takes on the top Test cricket playing nations in the world."</s>Afghanistan and Ireland are now Test playing nations

Will Test cricket finally see its No. 11 and No. 12 take guard?

After waiting long for their ‘associate’ to be disassociated with them, Afghanistan and Ireland have been awarded Test status. The two countries will now be the 11th and 12th Test playing nations after an unanimous vote for their inclusion took place in the ICC meeting in London today.

Dave Richardson, the CEO of the International Cricket Council (ICC), had preiously stated that Afghanistan and Ireland both have strong applications to be granted Test status in the near future. Richardson was a part of the ICC meeting that took place in London this week and stated:

“It’s never wise to try and make a call too early, but certainly the applications of both are very well founded. They both, on the face of it, meet the majority, if not all, of the full member criteria that have been set.”

He also added that he felt optimistic about Afghanistan as well as Ireland’s chances.

In case you didn’t know...

Bangladesh, who made an entry in the club 10 years ago, are the last team to make the transition into Test cricket. Afghanistan and Ireland have broken a big barrier today, something that their future cricketing generations will be proud of.

Also read: 5 Reasons why Afghanistan deserve Test status at the earliest

Since its first ODI match against England in 2006, Irish cricket has waited a time long for cracking it into the elite Test club of the sport. Warren Deutrum, the chief of Ireland Cricket, had declared in January of 2012 that he aims to see his country gain a Test status by 2020. The team has had fairly steady results over the past few years and will look to do justice to the full member status, which they have been chasing for more than a decade now.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s cricket rise has been meteoric in the past few years. They have beaten some big team in the last two years and have consistently managed to produce impressive results. Recently, they tied the ODI series with West Indies at 1-1, giving the hosts a run for their money.

Also read: Rashid Khan’s success is Cricket’s version of Slumdog Millionaire

The inclusion of Afghanistan and Ireland will be huge in increasing the popularity of the sport in both the countries. Test cricket will help their cricketers grow, which will, in turn, help them in enhancing their cricket in limited overs formats as well.

Granting Test status to both these countries will prove to be a step in the right direction, in respect to world cricket. Provided that both the nations have waited long for this accreditation as well as shown consistent results for acquiring the same, a Test status is an ideal vindication for their efforts.</s>On a very historic day for sport in the country, Cricket Ireland have been awarded with full membership and Test-playing status of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Following a 10 year quest, Cricket Ireland’s application to become the 11th full member nation of the ICC was passed today during the governing body’s annual conference in London.

ICC chief executive David Richardson praised both Ireland and Afghanistan’s credentials as they become the 11th and 12th members of Test match crickets tight knit club – it’s been almost two decades since Bangladesh were the last country to be granted Test status.

As a result the National Governing Body for Cricket in Ireland will feel the benefits as they will receive an increase in funding, a chance to play Test cricket and a seat at the sports table.</s>Ireland and Afghanistan have become the 11th and 12th Test Cricket playing nations. Cricket Ireland got confirmation of the news earlier today that Ireland had been awarded full-member status by the International Cricket Council at The Oval in London.

Up until now Ireland had been playing as affiliate members since 1993 but they still managed to cause a few shocks in that time at World Cups against England, Pakistan and the West Indies. It means Ireland will now have the chance to play Test cricket against the best in the world and it will also result in a significant increase in funding.

Afghanistan only achieved affiliate membership in 2013 and before today, Bangladesh were the last country to be granted Test status in 2000.

A statement from the ICC confirmed that " both have clearly demonstrated they meet the new criteria and as such have made the progression to Full Membership ".</s>ZIMBABWE might have rejected the proposal at the International Cricket Council (ICC) of a new two-tier system for Test cricket designed to split teams into two leagues but, frankly speaking, a sense of us and them already exists and continues to deepen in the cricket-playing world.

A slight relief for Zimbabwe and the other smaller nations is that India and Sri Lanka have both joined them in opposing the creation of Test divisions, but from where we stand looking at cricket in entirety, it is hard not to see the clear separation naturally taking care of itself — whether by new performance-based reforms or other means — all likely to further harm the growth of the game.

For the first time, Zimbabwe (which has automatically qualified since gaining Test status in the 1990s, might not play in the World Cup when the tournament comes around again in 2019 in England and Wales.

It will be of catastrophic proportions to the game in Zimbabwe.

How Zimbabwe can possibly miss out of a World Cup slot in 2019 is that ICC has not only cut the number of participating teams from 14 to 10 but has also introduced a new World Cup system which will see the lowest ranked ODI teams as of September 30 this year play in a qualification event with lower tier sides, with the top two from that competition joining eight automatic qualifiers for the World Cup.

Instead of boosting its global popularity by increasing the number of teams in the World Cup, cricket is instead choosing to remain an elitist sport.

As for Zimbabwe, we have become the hardest hit victim of this growing partition of cricket at the top — most of the damage being of our own making.

While the top eight ODI sides (including long-time fellow strugglers Bangladesh) were concluding the ICC Champions Trophy in the UK, our team was instead heading south of England for an ODI series in Scotland, a cricketing backwater of note.

This has been our new playground and status of recent times.

Our last series, earlier this year, had been in defeat at home to Afghanistan, who though rapidly growing and on the verge of Test cricket, are still trying to find their footing among the big boys of the game.

While in Scotland, the new status appeared to stalk Zimbabwe cricket. Even fate and nature seemed to be against the African side when rain and controversy officiating last week connived to hand the Scottish side a historic first ODI win over a Test-playing team.

Thankfully, Graeme Cremer and his men bounced back strongly to win the second game. But history will record, though, that the series was drawn 1-1 — a very memorable result for the Scots, and not-so-good for the Zimbabweans.

As we speak, the Zimbabwe team is in the Netherlands, preparing for five ODIs and a lone Test match in Sri Lanka.

It will be eight months after Zimbabwe’s last Test match, and over two-and-a-half years since they last played away in this format!

This is not nearly good enough, if you add that Zimbabwe had also not played Test cricket in England, Australia, India or South Africa for many years.

The proposed split Test cricket, for the benefit of those not familiar with it, would have meant two leagues, with seven nations in tier one, and five, including two new Test nations (Afghanistan and Ireland) in the second tier.

This would have meant more games between the second tier sides, with a relegation-promotion system in place, and also occasional series by these teams against the top nations.

It would for a much longer period keep the smaller teams apart from the top sides, yes, but certainly more Test games amongst themselves.

This rather brings Zimbabwe’s opposition to the new Test system under scrutiny and I would like to hear a convincing argument from ZC in this aspect.

Is Zimbabwe happy to maintain the status quo of the old Test order, even under these undesirable prevailing conditions in which their Test commitments are sporadic, and they do not play a Test match abroad for over two years and also face the real possibility of not playing at the World Cup for the first time since 1983?

Just last month we celebrated announcement of a US$94 million injection into Zimbabwe over a 10-year cycle.

This is very good news. But how sustainable is this kind of funding when Zimbabwe is in all seriousness a token Test nation?

The increased funding is pleasing development, but only if a significant amount goes towards reinventing Zimbabwe as a bona fide Test country and full member of ICC, because at the moment it is not.</s>Ireland have been awarded Test status and given full member status following a meeting of the International Cricket Council [ICC], the sport’s governing body, in London yesterday.

Ireland and Afghanistan will become the sport’s first new full members since the promotion of Bangladesh in 2000, following a unanimous vote at the ICC’s annual conference at the Oval.

Ireland will see their ICC funding double to €5m a year, and Cricket Ireland’s chief executive Warren Deutrom hopes Test status will help them hold on to their best players in the future.

Ed Joyce, Eoin Morgan and Boyd Rankin all opted to declare for England in the hope of playing Test cricket, although Joyce and Rankin have since returned to play for Ireland.

Morgan played 16 Tests for England between 2010 and 2012, and currently captains England in white-ball cricket.

“Test cricket is the pinnacle of the game, and the reason players in the past opted to declare for England,” Deutrom said.

“And so, we needed to share the same dream as our best players or risk of losing them.” Cricket Ireland president Ross McCollum will stay in London to attend an ICC meeting in London to discuss future fixtures.

“We can now commence discussions with several parties about staging our first Test, and look forward to the outcome of discussions around international cricket structures which will help us unlock increased commercial funding to assist in the development of the game,” he said.

Ireland and Afghanistan are excluded from the proposed Test league, in which the top nine-ranked teams will play 12 Test series on a home-and-away basis over four years from 2019.

But Ireland and Afghanistan are permitted to organise Test matches outside the league structure, and Cricket Ireland may invite Pakistan to play an inaugural Test match in Malahide or Dublin in May 2018 before the Cornered Tigers’ tour of England.

“We haven’t really thought about who our first opponents might be,” Deutrom admitted.

“We have been too busy concentrating on getting this over the line.

But, what I will say is that two chief executives of full member countries said to me after the meeting that we should talk soon about possible fixtures.” The increase in ICC funding is significant but not life-changing.

Ireland’s recent one-day international Tri-Series with New Zealand and Bangladesh cost €1m to stage, although Cricket Ireland recouped at least half those costs by selling the television and sponsorship rights up front.

It will cost Ireland at least €500,000 to stage a Test match, but Deutrom is confident that future sponsorship and television revenue streams will increase with Test status.

“Television companies and sponsors don’t like one-off events. They like certainty, and with Test status, we will be able to provide certainty over several years,” he said.</s>Afghanistan and Ireland are poised to become the 11th and 12th members of Test match cricket's close-knit club on Thursday when the sport's governing body meets in London.

It's been almost two decades since Bangladesh were the last country to be granted Test status but International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David Richardson believes both Afghanistan and Ireland have impressive credentials.

"It's never wise to try and make a call too early, but certainly the applications of both are very well founded," said Richardson.

"They both, on the face of it, meet the majority, if not all, of the full member criteria that has been set.

"I'm optimistic that they'll be given serious consideration to have every chance of succeeding."

No longer rank minnows, Asghar Stanikzai's Afghanistan are up for consideration following their victories over Ireland in the Intercontinental Cup in March.

Unlike the sport's other major players, Afghanistan was never a colony of the British Empire.

Instead many Afghans' first contact with the sport took place during the 1980s and 1990s, as refugees fled to Pakistan to escape the Soviet invasion.

Cricket struggled under the hardline Islamist Taliban, who viewed sports as a distraction from religious duties -- and famously shaved the heads of a visiting Pakistani football team as punishment for wearing shorts.

But it has become hugely popular in the country since the regime was toppled in a US-led invasion in 2001.

Recent successes, particularly in last year's ICC World Twenty20, have further raised the country's profile.

Spinners Rashid Khan, who idolises former Pakistan international Shahid Afridi, and Mohammad Nabi both made their mark in the Indian Premier League.

Khan was the sixth-highest wicket-taker in his debut IPL with 17 scalps, and the pair broke into the top 10 of the ICC one-day international bowling rankings during the just-concluded tour of the West Indies.

- 'Best decision of the century' -

Their former batting coach and former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif said a place among the Test nations was well deserved and would benefit them in the future.

"Afghanistan deserves Test status because their performances are good. Once they get to play Tests, more and more players will come forward just like happened in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh -- Kenya suffered because they were not awarded," he told AFP.

"I think it will be the ICC's best decision of the century."

Last year, Afghanistan's national team shifted its base from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Noida, Delhi, while India's former batsman Lalchand Rajput replaced Pakistan's Inzamam-ul-Haq as their national team coach.

There are nevertheless questions about how well Afghanistan and Ireland will do in the game's longest format.

Bangladesh famously floundered for their first decade while New Zealand took 26 years to win their first Test.

Ireland, meanwhile, have beaten the West Indies, England and Pakistan in their time.

However, standing on the verge of Test status is a far cry from the years when the highlight of Ireland's season was the visit for a one-off match by the touring Test team to England or, in alternate years, a two-day game at Lord's against MCC, invariably made up of Minor County players.

The old Irish Cricket Union was founded in 1855 –- Phoenix Cricket Club, founded 25 years earlier, is one of the oldest in the British Isles -- but it was not until more than a century later that the Ireland team first made the rest of the cricket world take notice.

On July 2 1969, Ireland dismissed the West Indies for just 25 at Sion Mills in a match recorded for all time by television.

It has gone into folklore that the West Indies, who had flown in the night before, after the conclusion of the Lord’s Test, had immediately availed themselves of some typically generous Irish hospitality.

But whatever the truth of that, they were bundled out in 25.3 remarkable overs.

Ireland knocked off the runs for the loss of one wicket, but with the game over so quickly, the teams agreed to play on and West Indies even had a second innings, reaching a more respectable 78 for four, after Ireland had declared on 125 for eight.</s>Ireland and Afghanistan have been granted Test status by the International Cricket Council (ICC), becoming the first countries to receive full membership in 17 years.

The two nations were granted eligibility after an unanimous vote at an ICC Full Council meeting in London on Thursday (22 June), where it was ruled that their respective applications met newly-approved criteria outlined by cricket's governing body.

Their addition brings the number of countries worldwide eligible for Test cricket up from 10 to 12. Bangladesh were the last team to be granted full status back in 2000.

Ireland have competed in the short form of the game since 1993 and currently sit 12th in the one-day international rankings, having recorded famous victories over England and Pakistan at the 2011 World Cup.

ICC chief executive David Richardson said following the announcement: "I'd like to congratulate Afghanistan and Ireland on their full membership status which is the result of their dedication to improving performance both off and on the field resulting in the significant development and growth of cricket in their respective countries.

"Both have clearly demonstrated they meet the new criteria and as such have made the progression to full membership."
In cricket, the International Cricket Council votes to elevate Afghanistan and Ireland to full Test status. The two countries become the 11th and 12th Test nations.