The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has decided to allow the national team to face Afghanistan in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 despite mounting pressure and growing calls for a boycott over the Taliban government’s restrictions on women’s rights.
On Thursday (February 6), the ECB announced that the England National Cricket Team will face Afghanistan in their group match in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on February 26 in Lahore after addressing the boycott calls with all the parties.
ECB confirms England vs Afghanistan match in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 amid pressure to boycott
Over 160 British politicians and South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie have urged England to withdraw from the match against Afghanistan in the upcoming multi-nation tournament. Despite the criticism, ECB chair Richard Thompson confirmed that England would proceed with the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 group game after consultations with the government, ICC, and players.
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The ECB chairman has noted that cricket alone cannot resolve Afghanistan’s challenges, but they will try their best to improve things. Afghanistan once had 25 contracted women cricketers in 2020, but most have since fled to Australia following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021.
Richard Thompson said in an official statement, “The Board recognizes there are different views and opinions on the issue of boycotting the match and has listened carefully. We have been in close contact with the government, the International Cricket Council (ICC), our England Men’s players, and other stakeholders to discuss this matter, as well as consider how best the ECB can support those women cricketers who have fled Afghanistan.”
We can confirm that we will play this fixture: ECB
The ECB chairman further added, “Following this, we remain of the view that a coordinated international response by the cricketing community is the appropriate way forward and will achieve more than any unilateral action by the ECB in boycotting this match, while we have also heard that for many ordinary Afghans, watching their cricket team is one of the few remaining sources of enjoyment. As such, we can confirm that we will play this fixture.”
However, Richard Thompson said that the ECB will continue to push for stronger action from the ICC to support Afghan women cricketers who have been forced into exile. They want a ring-fencing fund to support female players from Afghanistan and give them roles like coaching and administration.
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The England Cricket Board promises to continue to support Afghanistan’s women cricketers
The English board also urged the ICC to consider recognizing an Afghanistan women’s refugee team. Notably, the ECB donated £100,000 ($124,350) to help the Marylebone Cricket Club to support Afghanistan’s exiled women cricketers last week.
The ECB believes only cricket can’t solve Afghanistan’s problems, but the global cricket community must stand united to support Afghan women and girls, who want to play the game but are denied the chance back home under its Taliban government.
Thompson signed off by saying, “What is happening in Afghanistan is nothing short of gender apartheid. At a cricketing level, when women’s and girls’ cricket is growing rapidly around the world, it is heartbreaking that those growing up in Afghanistan are denied this opportunity, but the appalling oppression of women and girls by the Taliban goes so much further.”
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