Women’s cricket in Afghanistan has effectively ceased since under the Taliban (Photo by AREF … [+]
Cricket’s thorniest issue continues to divide the sport’s power brokers.
Ever since the Taliban’s bloody takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, effectively ending the fledgling development of women’s cricket in the war-torn country, it has polarized the International Cricket Council’s 17-person board – where the power lies.
An ICC working group was set up in late 2021 and tasked with investigating the situation in Afghanistan. But, as I reported in July, a push to set aside a percentage of Afghanistan revenue to fund women’s cricket fell through in part due to the high cost of keeping their men’s team afloat.
With the Taliban unlikely to ease their hard-line stance, cricket’s administrators have been amid a major dilemma. There has been some public and internal pressure over sanctioning Afghanistan’s cricket board, which is meddled by the government, and effectively ban the men’s team from playing.
But few have the appetite to halt cricket’s ultimate feel-good story, a national team that provides hope and inspiration to such a beaten-down nation. There was even rare public euphoria on the streets across Afghanistan after they reached the semi-final at the recent T20 World Cup.
Afghan fans celebrate Afghanistan’s win against Bangladesh at the T20 Cricket World Cup (Photo by … [+]
It gets political too because ICC regulations require members to support men’s and women’s national teams. When Afghanistan received it in 2017, including support from Australia and England who are now taking firm stances, an exemption was invoked on the proviso that they take active measures to develop women’s cricket.
Before the Taliban’s takeover, the ACB had announced central contracts for a pool of women cricketers. Sentiment differs although the majority of the board, including importantly from all-powerful India, are opposed to Afghanistan being sanctioned.
“It is not the Afghanistan board’s fault. They used to have women’s cricket. I think our approach has been right,” recently departed ICC chair Greg Barclay in an interview with The Telegraph in the UK.
“It would be easy to kick Afghanistan out, but their board haven’t done anything wrong. They’re just working under a decree and a series of laws that says this is what you have to do. I don’t think it would make a jot of difference to the ruling party there to kick them out.
“Maybe I’m a little naive, but I think cricket is such a force for good there, and it brings a lot of joy to a lot of people. It is better to leave it there and hope that it can foster a bit of a change.”
Afghanistan made the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup (Photo by Darrian Traynor-ICC/ICC via Getty … [+]
After advice from then Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government, Australia have become a vocal critic in recent years and taken matters into their own hands by refusing to play bilateral series against them. But they do play Afghanistan in World Cups.
“If you really want to make a political statement, don’t play them in a World Cup,” Barclay said. “Sure, it might cost you a semi-final place, but principles are principles. It’s not about having half a principle.”
Barclay’s parting shot was met with a retort from Australia chair Mike Baird. “Hadn’t heard those views before in any kind of forum,” he said. “We’ve taken a position, and we’re proudly standing up where we think we should.”
Australia has strengthened its stance after it was announced recently that an Afghanistan women’s team, consisting of refugees who moved to Australia, will play a match in Melbourne in January. It will be the first time an Afghanistan’s women’s cricket team has taken to the field since 2021.
Others on the board have echoed Barclay’s comments and believe there are “more pressing issues” to be dealt with. The issue continues to be in a stalemate and festers uncomfortably in the backdrop.
