Afghanistan and Ireland aim to become the 11th and 12th members of Test match cricket´s club on Thursday as the sport´s governing body meets in London.
Bangladesh were the last country to be granted Test status which was two decades ago but International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David Richardson believes both Afghanistan and Ireland have impressive credentials.
“It´s never wise to try and make a call too early, but certainly the applications of both are very well founded,” said Richardson.
“They both, on the face of it, meet the majority, if not all, of the full member criteria that has been set.
“I´m optimistic that they´ll be given serious consideration to have every chance of succeeding.”
No longer rank as a minor team, Asghar Stanikzai´s Afghanistan seek attention following their victories over Ireland in the Intercontinental Cup in March.
Unlike the sport´s other major players, Afghanistan was never a colony of the British Empire.
Afghans´ first contact with the sport took place during the 1980s and 1990s, as refugees fled to Pakistan to escape the Soviet invasion.
Cricket struggled under the Taliban, who viewed sports as a hinderance from religious duties.
But it has become hugely popular in the country since the regime was toppled in a US-led invasion in 2001.
Recent successes, particularly in last year´s ICC World Twenty20, have further raised the country´s profile.
Spinners Rashid Khan, who idolises former Pakistan international Shahid Afridi, and Mohammad Nabi both made their mark in the Indian Premier League.
Khan was the sixth-highest wicket-taker in his debut IPL with 17 scalps, and the pair broke into the top 10 of the ICC one-day international bowling rankings during the just-concluded tour of the West Indies.
Their former batting coach and former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif said a place among the Test nations was well deserved and would benefit them in the future.
“Afghanistan deserves Test status because their performances are good. Once they get to play Tests, more and more players will come forward just like happened in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — Kenya suffered because they were not awarded,” he told AFP.
“I think it will be the ICC´s best decision of the century.”
