10 images that defined cricket in 2018

#5 Ireland and Afghanistan play their debut Test

Afghanistan made their Test debut against India in June 2018

In 2018, two more countries obtained the elite honour of playing the sport across five days, with the red ball and in white flannels at an international stage, as Zimbabwe was dropped from Test status owing to their poor form and internal board issues.

Ireland and Afghanistan have been around for quite a while in the limited over circuits, and the International Cricket Council had decided earlier in 2017 that they ought to be given a chance to honour the Test format as well. The plans finally bore fruition, in mid-2018.

Both the Indian and Pakistani Cricket Boards can be proud of the fact that they played crucial roles in fulfilling the big dream for either country, with Pakistan deciding to hold a one-off Test match against Ireland at Dublin in May 2018, with India following suit by hosting Afghanistan at Bangalore less than a month later.

While both Ireland and Afghanistan failed to win their opening Tests, they can be assured of more opportunities coming their way in the future.