England's cricket team will proceed with their scheduled Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan, set for February 26 in Lahore, despite growing calls for a boycott. The controversy stems from Afghanistan's exclusion of women from participating in sports since the Taliban took power in 2021. This has raised questions about Afghanistan's status as a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), given that ICC regulations mandate women's cricket teams and development structures as part of membership requirements.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the match would go ahead following a board meeting on Thursday. This decision comes even as nearly 200 UK politicians, including Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, urged the ECB to refuse the fixture in protest of the Taliban's human rights abuses. Antoniazzi argued that England's cricketers should leverage their influence to effect change.
In response to the situation, the ECB has pledged £100,000 to the Global Refugee Cricket Fund to support female cricketers in exile. The board also emphasized its commitment to pressing the ICC for decisive action regarding the rights of Afghan women and girls who aspire to play cricket. The ECB described the current scenario in Afghanistan as "nothing short of gender apartheid."
Afghanistan retains its full ICC membership, allowing it to participate in Test cricket and ICC events. However, this status has come under scrutiny due to the absence of a women's cricket program. In 2020, the Afghanistan Cricket Board awarded professional contracts to 25 female players. Following the Taliban's resurgence, over 20 members of the women's team sought refuge in Australia, where they later played an exhibition match in Melbourne.
"One of the biggest things we can do to help the Afghanistan women's cricket team is to put pressure on the ICC and the Afghanistan Cricket Board to recognise us here." – Nahida Sapan
Despite calls for a boycott, some figures within cricket advocate for alternative approaches. England captain Jos Buttler expressed his opposition to a boycott, suggesting that such actions may not be effective.
"I don't think a boycott is the way to go about it." – Jos Buttler
The Champions Trophy, taking place in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19, presents a platform for England and Afghanistan to compete under complex circumstances. The match in Lahore will proceed as planned, highlighting ongoing tensions between sports governance and human rights advocacy.
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