England-Afghanistan boycott calls: MP says players have ‘power’ to refuse to play Champions Trophy match
Labor MP Tonya Antoniachi says England men’s players have the “right” to take a stand and refuse to play Afghanistan in the Champions League.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) met with Antoniazzi on Tuesday after she sent the governing body a cross-party letter signed by nearly 200 British politicians calling on the ECB to boycott the match.
These British politicians want the team to refuse to participate in the 50-over tournament in Lahore on February 26 and take a stand against the Taliban regime’s violation of women’s rights.
Women’s participation in sports has been effectively banned since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with many Afghan female athletes leaving the country for their own safety.
After meeting with the ECB, where the ECB governing body has maintained a non-committal stance on the boycott, Antoniazzi told BBC Sport that England players could choose to take a stand on the issue.
“The power lies with the team. The power lies with the people who play the sport. The power lies with them – it’s in their hands,” Cr Gower said.
“How big is England cricket? It’s huge. They have a huge position in the sporting world, they do have influence and I hope they realize they should use that influence to make a difference.”
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) declined to comment on the prospect of individual England players boycotting the match, but told BBC Sport it was “an extremely complex issue”.
A spokesperson said: “The Permanent Commission is appalled by the abhorrent treatment of women and girls under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
“The PCA continues to engage with the ECB and World Cricketers’ Association on this matter.”
As this matter involves personal views, the ECB does not consider it appropriate to comment.
