Ahead of the much-awaited Ashes series against England, Australia will host Afghanistan in a one-off Test match in Hobart later this year, officials confirmed on Wednesday (May 19).
"We are also incredibly excited to welcome Afghanistan to our shores for a historic first Test match against Australia," said Cricket Australia's interim CEO Nick Hockley.
The first-ever Test match between Australia and Afghanistan will be played at Hobart's Blundstone Arena from November 27, while the Ashes 2021-22 will begin on December at the Gabba.
"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," added Hockley.
The Test was originally slated to be held at Perth Stadium in November 21 last year. However, the global COVID-19 pandemic forced Cricket Australia to call off the fixture and stage it at a later date.
Having been granted Test status in 2017, Afghanistan has featured in six Tests so far, winning three of them against Ireland, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
Earlier, Cricket Australia said they are hopeful of conducting the Ashes 2021-22 in front of full crowds but stressed that they would adhere to government guidelines when it comes to admitting travelling supporters.
"The lessons learned from successfully delivering a safe summer in 20-21 gives us confidence on what we're able to achieve, and we're all hoping for a summer of full crowds and an Ashes atmosphere we're all accustomed to," said Hockley.
"In a perfect world, we would welcome England fans back to these shores for a summer of singing and sportsmanship. Of course, we will be guided by the Australian Government on all things related to international travel."
Australia men's Test cricket fixtures 2021/22
One-off Test v Afghanistan:
Nov 27-Dec 1: Blundstone Arena, Hobart
The Ashes v England:
Dec 8-12: 1st Test, Gabba, Brisbane
Dec 16-20: 2nd Test, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (day/night)
Dec 26-30: 3rd Test, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Jan 5-9, 2022: 4th Test, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Jan 14-18: 5th Test, Optus Stadium, Perth
(With AFP inputs)
