English cricket has no plans to change its policy on facing Afghanistan despite fresh calls for a boycott of next month’s Champions Trophy fixture amid further Taliban curbs on women’s rights.
England’s men have been drawn in Afghanistan’s group for the Champions Trophy and the teams are due to meet on February 26 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, the Afghanistan women’s team has been disbanded, with members of the squad living in exile in Australia. Women’s rights have rapidly been eroded under Taliban rule, with women banned from schools and universities, as well as gyms, beauty salons, hairdressers and public parks. The latest edict has banned windows through which women can be seen from outside.
Despite the disbanding of the women’s programme being in contravention of International Cricket Council (ICC) rules, Afghanistan’s men’s team – whose rise has provided one of the great sporting stories of the century – were allowed to continue operating by both the Taliban and ICC.
‘ECB happy to look the misogynistic way’
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) revealed in May 2024 that its policy on playing Afghanistan followed Australia’s, in that they would face them in World Cups and other ICC events, but would not schedule a bilateral series against them. England and Afghanistan have never met in a bilateral match but have met regularly at ICC events since 2015.
The ECB is understood not to be considering changes to this policy, despite pressure from activists such as the Women’s Rights Network. The WRN said in a statement: “Pride in the team shirt includes pride in your country’s record on standing up for human rights and against dictators who bask in the kudos of sporting success. What is happening to the women of Afghanistan is appalling. Any sportsman of conscience should do what is right: Boycott Afghanistan.”
Sharron Davies, the former swimmer and an advocate for women’s sport said: “Even though Afghanistan has removed every basic human right they can from women in their country – education, a public voice and even the ability to look out a window, basically rendering them domestic slaves – the ECB are happy to look the other misogynistic way and play cricket against their men’s team. It’s appalling double standards. Shame on any player that agrees to go along with this. Women’s rights across the world are being eroded and it’s time decent men stood up and were counted.”
Gould: ‘No appetite’ for boycott
Explaining the ECB policy, chief executive Richard Gould told The Cricketer last year: “We do not currently have any cricket against Afghanistan scheduled in a bilateral series. And I don’t think we would look to schedule Afghanistan in a bilateral series.”
When asked if this was because of Afghanistan’s attitude towards women’s cricket, Gould said: “Yes.”
“When the Taliban took over in Afghanistan again, they stopped women doing lots of things, including cricket,” he said. “At that point, many of the team escaped from Afghanistan and most of them have ended up in Australia, where they have been lobbying the ICC and other interested parties to try and bring back women’s cricket.
“The ICC’s view is that they are not able to have an impact on a domestic government’s policy. As a result of that, certain countries are more likely to take unilateral action.
“We’ve been working on discussions at ICC level with other member countries to understand what action can be taken. I don’t think that there is an appetite for action amongst the majority of ICC members directly against Afghanistan. And therefore the unilateral element kicks in.”
Piers Morgan, the media personality and cricket fan, was among those calling for England to boycott the fixture against Afghanistan next month.
“The England cricket men’s team must cancel their match against Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy group stage on Feb 26,” he posted on X. “The Taliban’s disgusting and ever-worsening oppression of Afghan women, including banning them from all sport, is unconscionable. Time we took a stand.”
‘Not about having half a principle’
The stance of England and Australia was criticised by former ICC chairman Greg Barclay in an interview with Telegraph Sport last month.
“If you really want to make a political statement, don’t play them in a World Cup,” Barclay said. “Sure, it might cost you a semi-final place, but principles are principles. It’s not about having half a principle.
“It is not the Afghanistan board’s fault. They used to have women’s cricket. I think our approach has been right. It would be easy to kick Afghanistan out, but their board haven’t done anything wrong. They’re just working under a decree and a series of laws that says this is what you have to do. I don’t think it would make a jot of difference to the ruling party there to kick them out.
“Maybe I’m a little naive, but I think cricket is such a force for good there, and it brings a lot of joy to a lot of people. It is better to leave it there and hope that it can foster a bit of a change. It’s a real feel-good story – a sport that was played in the refugee camps 25 years ago and now they have played in a World Cup semi-final. Do you really want to turn the tap off?”
Afghanistan’s men, who are coached by former England batsman Jonathan Trott, are currently playing a Test series in Zimbabwe. Australia and South Africa are the other teams in Group B at the Champions Trophy, a tournament involving the eight best one-day international teams in the world that is being revived for the first time since 2017 but has been beset by organisational difficulties. India’s government has refused to send its team to hosts Pakistan, leading to some matches being played in Dubai.
At the 2003 World Cup, England, under the captaincy of Nasser Hussain, forfeited a match against Zimbabwe in Harare over security concerns and in protest against Robert Mugabe’s regime. The sacrificed points led to their elimination from the tournament.
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