Afghanistan are set to play against the likes of England and Australia in the new Future Tours Programme (FTP) for 2019-2023, which was proposed at the ICC Chief Executives Meeting and will be ratified by the ICC board. Afghanistan will play their inaugural Test match in Jun against India in Bengaluru on June 14; however, the two countries will not meet again in the FTP cycle.
“We are playing 14-18 Tests in the new FTP cycle. We will be playing against England, Australia, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Bangladesh,” Afghanistan Cricket Board CEO, Shafiq Stanikzai told reporters. Afghanistan will have three venues in Greater Noida (India), Dehrahun (India) and Sharjah to choose from for hosting their home series.
Since Afghanistan are not going to be part of ICC’s 9-team Test Championship, all the series will be bi-lateral affair being played both in home and away fixtures during the FTP cycle.
“We have three venues to choose from and we will be very selective in choosing our venues. We are thankful to India for the two venues in India, which is Greater Noida and Dehradun. Also we have Sharjah cricket ground. It depends on the timing, when we are playing and also on the conditions,” Stanikzai said.
Afghanistan will be sending 43 players to India for preparatory camps before they announce the final squad for their maiden test against India. However, India captain Virat Kohli is set to miss the match, as he will be travelling to UK to play County cricket for Surrey to prepare for India’s forthcoming tour of England.
