A coalition of British politicians has called on England to boycott their next month’s ICC Champions Trophy cricket match against Afghanistan, citing the need for cricket officials to take a stand against the Taliban’s repression of women.
More than 160 MPs signed a letter on Monday calling on England’s players and officials to make representations about the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan. It said, “We also urge the ECB to consider a boycott of the upcoming match against Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy Group stage on February 26 to send a clear signal that such grotesque abuses will not be tolerated.”
The letter, led by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi and signed by a cross-party representation from the House of Commons and the House of Lords-include high-profile individuals such as Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn-was written to voice dismay over what is described as “insidious dystopia” whichAfghanistan turned into since 2021 after Taliban recaptured power in 2021.
Under the Taliban regime, women and girls had been forbidden to study and work; their movement in public was largely restricted, with an obligation upon them to don full-body garb. Furthermore, they had been barred from participating in sports and using gym facilities directly in contravention of ICC rules and regulations. Immediately after the takeover by the Taliban, the Afghanistan women’s cricket team was abolished, and a number of players fled the country.
Richard Gould, the chief executive of the ECB, responded to the politicians’ letter with a call for a collective decision by all ICC member countries over Afghanistan’s future presence in international cricket. “The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime,” he said.
Gould also underscored that the ICC Constitution has a stipulation which compels member nations to promote cricket among their women. While the ECB has opted to not schedule any bilateral matches against Afghanistan, there has been no consensus regarding extra international steps that are to be taken by the ICC. “A coordinated, ICC-wide approach would be significantly more impactful than unilateral actions by individual members,” he added.
Australia have thrice refused to play bilateral series against Afghanistan, citing the Taliban’s policies on women’s sport. They still play them in major tournaments. Cricket Australia termed the “deteriorating human rights for women and girls” in Afghanistan as the reason behind pulling out of series and its chairman Mike Baird said he is proud of the decision taken by his board.
In a related development, two top Afghan cricketers-Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi-called on the Taliban to rescind its ban on women’s access to medical education and training, which they termed “deeply unjust.” Rashid, one of the leading figures in cricket, emphasized that Afghanistan needs professionals in all fields, especially in healthcare.
The Afghanistan team has prepared well for the Champions Trophy, coming into this tournament as the eighth-ranked side in the ODI standings. They had beaten England in the 2023 World Cup and made it to the semifinals of the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they knocked out Australia in the process.
Afghanistan will be clubbed in Group B with England, Australia, and South Africa for the Champions Trophy starting from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and Dubai. While Dubai will host India’s matches following the T20 world champions’ refusal to travel to Pakistan.
