LONDON: Afghanistan and Ireland will join the ranks of full Test-playing nations after receiving the backing of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) conference on Thursday, thereby expanding the number of elite level nations for the first time in 17 years.

The body said it had voted to admit the two nations into the elite group that is permitted to play traditional five-day Test matches, widely regarded as the sport’s pinnacle format.

As new full members of the ICC, Ireland and Afghanistan will take the total of countries playing Tests to 12.

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.”

“For a nation like Afghanistan it is a huge and remarkable achievement, the entire nation will be celebrating across all five regions and different provinces. It is the perfect Eid gift,” said Afghanistan Cricket Board Chief Executive Shafiq Stanikzai, referring to the approaching Muslim holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramazan.

“Everyone has waited for this news and has been so keen to hear this news. Afghanistan cricket has gone from strength to strength and we dared to dream that this would happen and today it has become a reality,” he added.

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

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.

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

Two years later, still suffering from the impact of war and conflict, the country was given ‘associate member’ status of the world governing body ICC.

In 2015 Afghanistan played in their first 50-over World Cup and they have also featured in the World Twenty20 competition.

Ireland have steadily progressed in the game and first qualified for the World Cup in 2007, when they pulled off a shock win over Pakistan, and they have qualified for both World Cups since then while defeating the West Indies and England in the mega event.

“We are delighted and proud with today’s historic announcement. It is an extraordinary testament to the talent and endeavour of thousands of passionate players, coaches, volunteers, staff, clubs and committee people,” Cricket Ireland Chief Executive Warren Deutrom said.

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

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.

The ICC conference also agreed on a new revenue-sharing system and voted to expel the United States of America Cricket Association following a series of disputes.

The ICC said it would now work to ‘establish a new governing body for cricket in the USA that is capable of unifying the fractured cricket community in that part of the world’.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2017