List of full member nations under ICC

June 22, 2017, will remain as the greatest day in the history of cricket for Afghanistan and Ireland as the International Cricket Council took a decision of granting both the nations Full member status after a unanimous vote during the ICC Annual General Meeting.

Thus, Afghan and Irish teams being promoted from the associate nation and will become 11th and 12th full member nations respectively joining the previous 10 full member countries; Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Both the new teams will now be eligible to play the longer format of the game at the international stage which is restricted to the full member nations only.

The ICC was founded under the name of Imperial Cricket Council in 1909 with England, Australia and South Africa as full nations. Later West Indies, New Zealand and India joined them in 1926 while Pakistan entered in 1952 post their partition with India before the ICC changed its name as International Cricket Council in 1965.

List of Full member nations under ICC and their approval date:

Among these 12 nations, only Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe Bangladesh, Ireland and Afghanistan have played as the associate nations under ICC before becoming full members. Afghanistan’s progress is visible by the fact that they needed only 4 years from being the Associate nation and Full members. Interestingly, Ireland took the longest for earning the promotion as its been 24 years since they were granted the associate nation status in 1993.

List of Full member nations who were associate nations under the ICC: