The World Cricketers Association (WCA) believes that global cricket must move past “random and inconsistent” support for Afghanistan’s exiled female cricketers and implement a “systematic global approach.” WCA CEO Tom Moffat has called the exclusion of women players in any country “unacceptable.”
As the Afghan Women’s XI gets ready to face Cricket Without Borders at Junction Oval in Australia, Moffat discussed potential collective action with ESPNcricinfo, emphasizing that it “doesn’t necessarily mean boycotts” but should involve both the ICC and individual boards.
“The ICC and national governing bodies run and regulate the game and their tournaments and have a responsibility to exercise leverage to ensure that the rights of players in our sport, including Afghanistan women’s players, are protected and respected,” Moffat said.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean boycotts, there are a number of ways to exercise leverage, but to date, the random and inconsistent manner of dealing with it, and of even having the conversation around the world, highlights the need for cricket’s governing bodies to implement a more systematic global approach to protecting basic player rights, along with just about every other aspect of the sport.”
Afghanistan, a Full ICC Member since 2017, does not have a women’s team, though one was in development before the Taliban regained control in 2021. In 2020, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had contracted 25 female players, but they never played an international match. Under Taliban rule, women have been banned from participating in sports and face increasing restrictions in education, healthcare, and public life.
The suppression of women’s rights has drawn international criticism from organizations such as Amnesty International and the United Nations. While some Taliban officials face asset freezes, no sporting bans have been imposed. Afghanistan remains a member of both FIFA and the ICC and sent a team of three men and three women—who were living in exile and not recognized by the Taliban government—to last year’s Paris Olympics.
Australia is the only country to have canceled bilateral matches against Afghanistan, while England has announced plans to do the same. However, both continue to play Afghanistan in ICC tournaments, despite growing calls for boycotts.
In England, a cross-party parliamentary group urged the ECB to have the men’s team and officials “speak out against the horrific treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan” and to reconsider playing against Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy on February 26. In response, ECB CEO Richard Gould advocated for “a coordinated, ICC-wide approach,” aligning with Moffat’s position.
Similarly, South Africa, which is also in Afghanistan’s Champions Trophy group, faced criticism from its sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, who compared the Taliban’s treatment of women to Apartheid. However, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has actively scheduled matches against Afghanistan, including an ODI series in Sharjah last September. CSA maintains that isolating the men’s team would have little impact on improving conditions for women in Afghanistan.
South Africa’s stance is notable given its own history of sporting bans from the 1970s to 1990s, which played a role in the fall of Apartheid. However, CSA believes that broader actions, beyond a cricket boycott, are needed to influence the Taliban’s policies on women’s rights.
While acknowledging that access to sport is just one of many freedoms denied to Afghan women and girls, organizations like the WCA emphasize the significance of this right.
“Every athlete has the right to equality of opportunity, which is protected in the Universal Declaration of Player Rights, underpinned by international law,” Moffat said.
“That means each player has the right to equality of opportunity in the pursuit of sport, free of discrimination, harassment, and violence, and a player’s right to pursue sport cannot be limited because of his or her gender.”
As these rights continue to be denied to women and girls in Afghanistan, the WCA reaffirmed its “absolute support” for any player who chooses to speak up on the issue. While several Afghan men’s cricketers, including Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, have advocated for equal access to education, they have not publicly supported women cricketers despite their ongoing pleas for recognition.
Many Afghan male players are believed to remain silent due to concerns for their families’ safety, fearing potential repercussions from speaking out. Afghanistan currently lacks a players’ association, though some men’s cricketers are involved in the WCA’s global commercial program.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
