 "Afghanistan is the only ICC member nation not have a women's cricket team. Image: Afghanistan Cricket Board")
Amid calls to boycott Afghanistan men’s cricket team at the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has been accused of “unfair decisions” and making “excuses” by women’s cricketers from the country who are now living in exile in Australia.
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had selected 25 players in 2020 to represent the country in international cricket, as per the ICC rule that states that member nations need to promote women’s cricket. However, all of the selected cricketers fled the country after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021 and are now living in exile in Australia.
ICC has failed to take strict action against Afghanistan
Despite Afghanistan not having a women’s team, the ICC has still not taken any action against the board. Former ICC chairman Greg Barclay defended the decision by stating that not having a women’s team is not ACB’s fault and the global body is not interested in taking away the “good force” that cricket has been for the nation.
“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 naïve, 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,” Barclay said.
England and South African teams have been urged by their respective politicians to boycott their matches against Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy 2025. However, both boards have rejected the calls .
ICC accused of ‘unfair decisions’ by Afghan women cricketer
Firooza Amiri, one of the Afghan women cricketers who now lives in exile in Australia, feels boycotting the Afghanistan men’s team is not the right way to deal with the issue, but says the ICC has not done enough for the women’s side.
“At the end of the day all of the decisions come from the ICC and it’s been unfair decisions from the ICC for us. We sent a letter to the ICC, they never respond to us. They make excuses, they always say having a women’s Afghanistan team is complicated. It is not complicated, it’s as simple as ‘we want to have a team’ - it’s very easy,” she told Sky News.
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More Shorts“The ICC must stop making unfair decisions and turn their face to the women of Afghanistan. We are here, we just dream to play cricket for our country.”
Amiri added that female players would want to play as a refugee team but they have not been given permission.
“We just want to represent Afghanistan as long as we are on the ground, on the field. Every time we play we are not just playing for ourselves but millions of girls who are still in Afghanistan.
“We just want to make sure Afghanistan women do not feel forgotten.”
Sky News had earlier reported that ICC is working with the Taliban government with the help of their task force and hoping to reinstate women’s cricket in the country.
“The ICC remains closely engaged with the situation in Afghanistan and continues to collaborate with our members,” an ICC spokesperson told Sky News. “We are committed to leveraging our influence constructively to support the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in fostering cricket development and ensuring playing opportunities for both men and women in Afghanistan.
“The ICC has established an Afghanistan Cricket Task Force, chaired by deputy chairman Mr Imran Khwaja, who will lead the ongoing dialogue on this matter.”
Afghanistan are part of Group B in the Champions Trophy 2025 along with England, Australia, and South Africa. Their first match is on 21 February against South Africa in Karachi followed by matches against England (26 February in Lahore) and Australia (28 February in Lahore).