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Cricket world hails 'historic day'

ICC approval of Ireland, Afghanistan into Test-playing ranks prompts celebration around the globe

Cricketing legends past and present have applauded the International Cricket Council's announcement that Afghanistan and Ireland have been elevated to the ranks of Test-playing nations.

The ICC voted in London on Thursday to make Afghanistan, along with Ireland, full members of the organisation, allowing them to become part of the elite 12 sides who play Test matches.

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War-torn Afghanistan is celebrating its national team's entry into Test cricket, saying it's a dream come true after years of bloody violence.

"I can't express right now how excited I am," said Shir Agha Hamkar, Afghanistan cricket's team manager.

"It was a big dream of the cricket board, our team and every Afghan. Afghanistan has made tremendous progress, in the last few years. We have been playing very good cricket, beating full members like Zimbabwe," he said at a celebration where a special cake was shared to mark the occasion.

"Thanks to all the players as well. They have shown their talent to the world and shown that yes, we deserve to be a full member nation."



Afghanistan are likely to play their first Test match in 2018 and are expected to continue to play home games in the Indian city of Noida due to security concerns.















Ireland hope being awarded Test status will mean the end of top players such as Eoin Morgan defecting to England instead.

Both Ireland and Afghanistan became cricket's 11th and 12th Test nations on Thursday following a unanimous vote by the International Cricket Council during its annual meeting in London on Thursday.

Dublin-born Morgan, a talented left-handed batsman, first played for Ireland as a teenager.

But after securing Ireland's qualification for the 2011 World Cup, in April 2009, he was immediately called up by England after making his mark in county cricket with Middlesex.

Both Ed Joyce and Boyd Rankin, now back in the Ireland fold, made the same switch for similar reasons.