The England and Wales Cricket Board has called for a united response to actions taken against Afghanistan amid calls for the England men's team to boycott next month's European Champions Cup tie between the two sides.
England is scheduled to face Afghanistan in Lahore on February 26, but British politicians want the team to refuse to play the match that has lasted more than 50 years and take a stand against the Taliban regime’s assault on women’s rights.
A letter to the ECB, written by Labor MP Tonia Antoniazzi and signed by the likes of UK reform leader Nigel Farage, former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn and Lord Kinnock, urged England to boycott the match “to send a clear signal” that “such abuses will not be tolerated.” “Hideous.”
Women's participation in sport has been effectively banned since the Taliban's return to power in 2021 and many Afghan female athletes They left the country for their safety.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations state that full membership is conditional on the presence of women's cricket teams and pathways structures.
However, the Afghan men's team has been allowed to participate in the ICC tournaments apparently without any sanctions.
In response to the letter signed by a group of more than 160 politicians calling for a boycott, ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould said the governing body was “committed to finding a solution” that “supports the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.”
He added: “Although there is no consensus on further international action within the ICC, the ECB will continue to actively advocate for such action.”
“A coordinated approach across the ICC would be far more impactful than unilateral actions taken by individual members.”
Gould said the ECB would continue its policy of not scheduling bilateral matches against Afghanistan but was in no way committed to a boycott.
He added that the ECB would work with the UK government, other international councils and the ICC to “explore all possible ways to bring about real change” but acknowledged there were “diverse views” on the issue.
“We understand the concerns raised by those who believe that boycotting men’s cricket could inadvertently support Taliban efforts to suppress freedoms and isolate Afghan society,” Gould added.
“It is important to recognize the importance of cricket as a source of hope and positivity for many Afghans, including those displaced from the country.”
The Afghan women's team was established in 2010, nine years after the fall of the Taliban regime at the hands of the US-led military coalition.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) initially banned the women's team from playing in several international tournaments, saying it had received “threats from the Taliban”.
Twenty-five women cricketers were awarded contracts by the Asian Football Bank in 2020. Less than a year later, the Taliban returned to power, ending any progress towards Afghanistan playing an official women's international tournament.
More than 20 Afghan women cricketers have managed to leave the country and are currently living in Australia.
England have played Afghanistan three times in one-day internationals and T20 internationals – all in ICC events – and lost their last meeting in the 2023 50-over World Cup.
Pakistan and neutral venue Dubai will host the eight-team Champions Trophy from February 19 to March 9. Australia and South Africa join England and Afghanistan in Group Two, while Pakistan, India, New Zealand and Bangladesh meet in Group One.