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Afghan Cricketers return to action after fleeing Taliban

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Afghanistan’s female cricketers aspire for their first competitive match in Australia to “open doors for Afghan women for education, sport and [the] future.”

An Afghanistan Women’s XI played a 20-over exhibition match against Cricket Without Borders at Melbourne’s Junction Oval on Thursday, ahead of the Women’s Ashes Test between Australia and England at the nearby Melbourne Cricket Ground.

More than 20 members of Afghanistan’s national women’s team have been in Australia since the Taliban regained power in 2021, as female participation in sports in Afghanistan has been effectively banned.

Now, they aim to send a message of hope and resilience to their country.

“We are going to represent millions of Afghan women who are in Afghanistan and denied their rights,” player Firoza Amiri told Cricket Australia before the match.

“It’s very special for all of us to get back together after three years, leaving everything and losing everything back home in Afghanistan.”

In 2020, the Afghanistan Cricket Board awarded 25 players professional contracts. However, following the Taliban’s return and the subsequent restrictions on women’s sports, they sought ICC approval to compete as a refugee team, but their request was denied.

For the exhibition match, the team could not officially represent Afghanistan as the ICC does not recognize them as a national side. Instead, they wore a custom-designed kit rather than the official logo.

Afghan player Benafsha Hashimi designed the emblem, featuring a red tulip and a golden wattle—national flowers of Afghanistan and Australia—intertwined around a cricket ball.

With a spirit of optimism, the match became a celebration, with each run met with enthusiastic applause and players from both sides embracing the occasion.

England captain Heather Knight attended the game despite leading her team in the Ashes Test later that day. Other notable attendees included the Australian Governor General and Clare Connor, deputy chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

The match also marked the first time Afghan players based in Melbourne and Canberra played together since arriving in Australia.

Many of the players had to learn English upon arrival to help them integrate and secure employment.

Nahida Sapan emphasized the broader significance of their efforts.

“We play for Afghanistan, it means a lot for Afghan women because with this, they can and we can hope,” Sapan told Cricket Australia.

“This match can open doors for Afghan women for education, sport and future.

“We are building not just a team, we are building a movement for change and improvement.”

Meanwhile, there have been calls to boycott matches against Afghanistan’s men’s team, including their upcoming fixture against England in the Champions Trophy.

ICC regulations require full member nations to have women’s teams and development pathways. However, Afghanistan’s men’s team continues to compete in ICC tournaments without sanctions.

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, in a letter signed by over 160 parliamentarians, urged England’s players to use their influence to “make a difference.”

ECB chief executive Richard Gould stated that “a coordinated, ICC-wide approach would be significantly more impactful than unilateral actions by individual members.”

Following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, an ICC working group met with Afghan government representatives and expressed interest in using cricket to drive change.

The governing body affirmed its commitment to supporting the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in developing the sport and ensuring playing opportunities for both men and women.

Its position remains that the ACB does not control government policy and, therefore, Afghan players should not face consequences for it.

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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff

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