Test Cricket is the longest format of the sport of cricket, considered the game’s most prestigious and traditional form. Often referred to as the "ultimate test" of a cricketer’s skill, endurance, and temperament. It is a format of international cricket where two teams in white clothing, each representing a country, compete over a match that can last up to five days with six hours of play each day. It consists of four innings, maximum of 90 overs are scheduled to be bowled per day making it the sport with the longest playing time. A team wins the match by outscoring the opposition in the batting or bowl out in bowling, otherwise the match ends in a draw.
Women's One Day International (ODI) is the limited overs form of women's cricket. Matches are scheduled for 50 overs, equivalent to the men's game. The first women's ODIs were played in 1973, as part of the first Women's World Cup which was held in England. The first ODI would have been between New Zealand and Jamaica on 20 June 1973, but was abandoned without a ball being bowled, due to rain. Therefore, the first women's ODIs to take place were three matches played three days later.
The Afghanistan men's national cricket team represents Afghanistan in international cricket. Cricket in Afghanistan has become a symbol of hope and resilience for many. The sport has not only provided entertainment but has also united a nation that has faced numerous challenges. The Afghanistan team has made significant strides on the international stage, showcasing the talent and determination of its players. Cricket has been played in Afghanistan since the mid-19th century, but it was only in the early 21st century that the national team began to enjoy success. The Afghanistan Cricket Board was formed in 1995, becoming an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2001 and a member of the cricket confederation, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in 2003. After nearly a decade of playing international cricket, on 22 June 2017 full ICC membership was granted to Afghanistan. Alongside Ireland, this took the number of Test cricket playing nations to twelve. In view of the persistent conflict and insecurity in Afghanistan, following this status, the team moved to a new home ground in Dehradun, in India. The current home ground of the Afghanistan Men's Cricket team is the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE.
The West Indies cricket team toured New Zealand between 5 December 2008, and 13 January 2009. They played two Test matches, two Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) and five One Day Internationals (ODIs) against the hosts, plus a three-day match against State Championship side Auckland. This was the first series between the sides since the West Indies toured New Zealand in 2005–06; their previous meeting was in the Super 8 stage of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
Mohammad Nabi Eisakhil is an Afghan cricketer and former captain of the Afghanistan national cricket team. Nabi is an attacking batting all-rounder, playing as a right-handed batsman and off-break bowler.
Day/night cricket, also known as floodlit cricket, is a cricket match that is played either totally or partially under floodlights in the evening. The first regular cricket to be played under floodlights occurred during World Series Cricket, unsanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC), attracting large crowds to see some of the world's best players compete in Australia and the West Indies. In 1979, when the ICC and World Series Cricket came to an understanding, the first floodlit One Day International was played, also in Australia. Floodlit cricket has since been played around the world, although England was slow to take it up due to their climate. Floodlit first-class cricket was first played in 1994, when the concept was tried during the Sheffield Shield. Day/night cricket is now commonplace in one-day cricket and Twenty20 cricket. For instance, all 27 matches in the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 were day/night matches, as were most matches in the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
The Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex or Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground is a cricket and association football stadium in Greater Noida, in Uttar Pradesh state of India. It was the home ground of the Afghanistan national cricket team. In 2017, it lost its status to hold any Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) conducted matches after staging a private league which was not permitted by BCCI.
The 2015 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, for the 2016 World Twenty20, was held from 6 to 26 July 2015. The tournament was hosted by both Ireland and Scotland. 51 matches were played among 14 nations, down from 72 matches among 16 nations previously. The tournament formed part of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier series, with the top six teams going forward to the qualifying round of the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 tournament.
Shardul Narendra Thakur is an Indian international cricketer. He is a bowler who bats right-handed and bowls right arm medium pace. He was a part of the Indian squad which won the 2018 Asia Cup and the 2023 Asia Cup.
The Hong Kong and Nepal national cricket teams toured Sri Lanka from 9 November to 3 December 2014. The series, hosted by Sri Lanka Cricket, was part of a program organized by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to benefit non-Test-playing ACC members.
The 2015–2017 ICC World Cricket League Championship was the second edition of the ICC World Cricket League Championship. It took place from 2015 until 2017, in parallel with the 2015-17 ICC Intercontinental Cup. Both Ireland and Afghanistan had been promoted to the main ICC ODI Championship and did not compete in this tournament. Instead, Kenya and Nepal were included in the tournament. The tournament was played in a round-robin format. All matches were recorded as List A matches, and those in which both teams had ODI status were also recorded as ODIs.
The 2015–2017 ICC Intercontinental Cup was the seventh edition of the ICC Intercontinental Cup, an international first-class cricket tournament between leading associate members of the International Cricket Council (ICC). The tournament took place during 2015 to 2017. It ran in parallel with the 2015–17 ICC World Cricket League Championship, but with slightly different teams. As Ireland and Afghanistan had qualified for the ICC One Day International Championship ranking qualification process, they were replaced by Kenya and Nepal in the limited over event; however they continued to play the four-day event.
The Pakistani cricket team toured New Zealand in January 2016 to play three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 International (T20Is) matches. New Zealand won the T20I series 2–1 and the ODI series 2–0.
The Indian cricket team toured the West Indies for a four-match Test series. Prior to the four Test matches, there were two tour matches. The tour coincided with the 2016 Caribbean Premier League. This was the first bilateral tour between the two sides since the West Indies pulled out of the previous tour in October 2014.
The Australian cricket team toured New Zealand in January and February 2017 to play three One Day Internationals (ODIs).
The New Zealand A cricket team toured India in September and October 2017. On this tour they played two first-class matches and five limited-overs matches against the India A team. New Zealand A was captained by Henry Nicholls. The two first-class matches were played at the ACA–KDCA Cricket Ground and the limited overs matches at ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.
The 2019–20 Bangladesh Tri-Nation Series was a cricket tournament that took place in September 2019. It was a tri-nation series featuring Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe with all the matches played as Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
The Ireland cricket team toured India in March 2020 to play three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches against Afghanistan. On 11 January 2020, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the fixtures for the three T20I matches.
The Afghanistan cricket team toured Bangladesh to play the Bangladesh cricket team in September 2019 in a one-off Test match. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the schedule for the tour in August 2019.
The Sri Lanka men's cricket team toured New Zealand in March and April 2023 to play two Test, three One Day International (ODI) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. The Test matches formed part of the 2021–2023 ICC World Test Championship and the ODI series formed part of the inaugural 2020–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.
