Picture Credit: ICC/Twitter
After the Australian players reached home following the suspension of Indian Premier League 2021, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced a new tour. In one of the moves, Australia are ready to host Afghanistan in Hobart for their first-ever Test match this year. The five-day game will begin on November 27 at Blundstone Arena, with Australia facing England in the first Test of the five-match Ashes series on December 8 at The Gabba.
While announcing the match, Cricket Australia interim chief executive Nick Hockley said, "We are also incredibly excited to welcome Afghanistan to our shores for a historic first Test match against Australia."
"The story of the Afghanistan cricket team is one of the most uplifting in international sport, and their record of three wins from their first six Tests prove they truly belong at this level," he added.
Afghanistan cricket team earned the Test status in the year 2018. Since then, they have played against India, West Indies, Bangladesh and Ireland. In March, they played a two-match Test series against Zimbabwe, which they drew after a brilliant comeback in the second game. In that series, Rashid Khan bowled close to 100 overs and scalped 11 wickets. Hashmatullah Shahidi, who was awarded the Man of the Match in the second game, scored the first double hundred of his career.