England-Afghanistan boycott calls: ECB want ICC-wide approach to Champions Trophy issue
The England and Wales Cricket Board has called for a unified response to the action against Afghanistan and called on the England men’s team to boycott next month’s Champions Trophy tie between the two sides.
England are due to face Afghanistan in Lahore on February 26, but British politicians want the team to refuse to take part in the 50-over match and speak out against the Taliban regime’s violation of women’s rights.
A letter to the ECB written by Labor MP Tonia Antoniazzi and written by Reform Party leader Nigel Farage, former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn and Lord Kinnock were among those who signed on, urging England to boycott the game to “send a clear signal” that this grotesque abuse will not be tolerated.
Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, women’s participation in sports has been effectively banned, as have many Afghan female athletes Leave the country for your own safety.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) stipulates that a condition for full membership is the possession of a women’s cricket team and a pathway structure.
However, the Afghan men’s team was allowed to participate in the ICC tournament seemingly without any sanctions.
Responding to a letter signed by more than 160 politicians calling for a boycott, ECB chief executive Richard Gould said the governing body was “committed to finding solutions” and “upholding the rights of Afghan women and girls”.
“While there is no consensus within the ICC on further international action, the ECB will continue to actively advocate for such measures,” he said.
“A coordinated approach across the ICC will have a greater impact than unilateral actions by individual members.”
Gould said the ECB would continue its policy of not scheduling bilateral matches with Afghanistan but did not commit to boycotting either approach.
He added that the ECB would work with the UK government, other international committees and the International Chamber of Commerce to “explore all possible avenues to achieve meaningful change” but acknowledged that there were “different views” on the issue.
Gould added: “We understand the concerns raised by those who believe that a boycott of men’s cricket may inadvertently support the Taliban’s efforts to suppress freedoms and isolate Afghan society.”
“It is vital to recognize the importance of cricket as a source of hope and positivity for many Afghans, including those who have been displaced.”
The Afghan women’s football team was founded in 2010, nine years after the Taliban regime fell to the U.S.-led military coalition.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) initially banned the women’s team from several international tournaments, saying it had received “Taliban threats”.
In 2020, ACB awarded contracts to 25 female cricketers. Less than a year later, the Taliban returned to power, ending any progress Afghanistan had made towards formal women’s international competition.
More than 20 Afghan women cricketers 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 at ICC events, with the most recent encounter coming at the 2023 50-over World Cup.
Pakistan and neutral venue Dubai will host the eight-team Champions Trophy tournament from February 19 to March 9. Australia and South Africa are in Group B along with England and Afghanistan, while Pakistan, India, New Zealand and Bangladesh are in Group A.
