Australia to Play an ODI Against Afghanistan in August

Australia will play a one-day international against Afghanistan in the Middle East in August 2012 as a warm-up for the series against Pakistan. The game will be the first meeting between the sides, although the venue is yet to be confirmed.

The game will serve as a warm-up for Australia's series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, which immediately precedes the ICC World T20 tournament in Sri Lanka in September-October.

"As an ICC member, CA strongly supports world cricket's ambition for cricket to continue to develop as a global sport and that, combined with the strong relationships between our two countries, encouraged us to look at how we might recognize and encourage Afghanistan by playing them on the field," Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said.

Afghanistan failed to qualify for the 2011 World Cup, but have ODI status until 2013 and have also qualified for this year's ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. Afghanistan became an ICC affiliate member in 2001.