Cricket Australia formally postpones lone Test against Afghanistan

Melbourne, November 5: Cricket Australia on Friday (November 5) confirmed that the planned men's Test against Afghanistan, scheduled to be held in Hobart later this month, has been postponed.

The lone Test match, which would have been the first between Australia and Afghanistan, was to be held at Blundstone Arena in Hobart from November 27, but CA was forced to postpone it owing to Taliban government's opposition to women's cricket.

CA said following extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders, it and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) have agreed to postpone the match and play it at a later time.

"CA is committed to support growing the game for women and men in Afghanistan and around the world, however, given the present uncertainty, CA felt it necessary to postpone the Test match until a later time when the situation is clearer," CA said in a statement.

"CA looks forward to hosting Afghanistan players in the BBL this season, who are great ambassadors for the game, and to hosting both the Afghanistan women's and men's team in the not-too-distant future."

The postponement of the Test was a mere formality after CA last month said that it was set to do so due to concerns over the status of women's cricket in Afghanistan following Taliban's seizure of power in that country.