Pathway to Test cricket to begin for Associate Members in ICC Intercontinental Cup 2015-17

The side that wins the round-robin league will play the bottom-ranked Test team on the Reliance ICC Test Team Rankings in the ICC Test Challenge in 2018.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “The ICC Intercontinental Cup is now the platform for emerging nations to fulfill their ambitions of playing Test cricket. It will therefore be fantastic to see the strongest Associates face off in an exciting competition, with great context, that will showcase world cricket’s growing pool of talent.

“This event, funded by ICC, forms part of the ICC’s global development programme. As preparations intensify ahead of the opening round in Namibia this weekend, I would like to wish all of the competing nations the best of luck," he said.

Scotland won the inaugural ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious on four occasions (2005, 2006-07, 20007-08 and 2011-13), while Afghanistan clinched the 2009-10 tournament.

Dates for ICC Intercontinental Cup first round fixtures:

10-13 May – Namibia v Hong Kong, Wanderers
Match Referee: Dev Govindjee (South Africa), Umpires: Andrew Wynand Louw (Namibia) and Adrian Holdstock (South Africa)

2-5 June – Ireland v UAE, Malahide
2-5 June – Scotland v Afghanistan, Stirling
16-19 June – Netherlands v Papua New Guinea, Amsterdam

Dates for Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship first round fixtures:

15 May – Namibia v Hong Kong, Wanderers
17 May - Namibia v Hong Kong, Wanderers
22 June - Netherlands v Papua New Guinea, Amsterdam
24 June - Netherlands v Papua New Guinea, Amsterdam
25 June – Kenya v UAE, tbc
27 June – Kenya v UAE, tbc
25 July – Scotland v Nepal, tbc
27 July - Scotland v Nepal, tbc