New Zealand players before the start of the day two of the test match between Afghanistan v New Zealand Blackcaps, Day 2 of the Only Test at Greater Noida, India.
Photo: Photosport / Pankaj Nangia
The Black Caps are currently playing Afghanistan in a one off test match in India, but the decision for the Black caps to play has not been without controversy.
Cricket Australia pulled the plug on a three-match T20 series that was scheduled for August this year on advice from the Australian Government.
They are concerned about the worsening situation for women and girls in Afghanistan.
A statement released at the time said:
“Cricket Australia continues its strong commitment to supporting participation by women and girls in cricket around the world and will continue to actively engage the International Cricket Council and work closely with the Afghanistan Cricket Board to determine what actions could be taken to support the resumption of bilateral matches in the future.”
While Australia won’t tour to play Afghanistan, the team hasn’t taken the same stance in World Cup tournaments when trophies are on the line.
The situation for women and girls in Afghanistan is stark.
Most recently, the Taliban banned women from speaking in public.
BBC reporter Yogita Limaye [spoke to some women in Afghanistan about what life is like in the country.
One woman told Limaye, “if we go out we’re scared, if we take a bus or remove our masks, we’re scared, if we speak loudly we’re scared. There’s so much fear and stress. If we can’t speak, then why go out at all? Why even live?”
The head of the Afghanistan Cricket board, Naseeb Khan, was appointed by the Taliban in 2021.
About the same time, the Afghanistan women’s team was disbanded, meaning Afghanistan is the only full member of the International Cricket Council without a women’s team.
Despite the situation in Afghanistan, New Zealand Cricket is taking a different approach to Australia, one which involves playing and engaging with Afghanistan.
“We thought that we could be more effective in advocating for women, and for women’s cricket in Afghanistan by playing, then having the ability to continue to engage with the Afghanistan Cricket Board,” New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink said.
There are growing calls for an Afghanistan women’s refugee team based in Australia to be formed, which is something New Zealand Cricket would support.
“We will help Afghanistani cricket and Afghanistani women’s cricket in any way we can. We’re certainly open to supporting a refugee team,” said Weenink.
Black Caps captain Tim Southee is comfortable with New Zealand Cricket’s decision to play the test.
“It’s a decision that New Zealand cricket have made, and the players association, and us as players we’ve just had to buy into that.”
For New Zealand based Afghanistan cricket super fan Rahim Sediqi, the test match offers hope during hard times for the Afghanistan people.
“I’m not actually with the Aussie decision because we don’t want to bring the politics into cricket.
“Cricket is giving happiness to the people. And education is also really important for the girls also. We try our best for the girls to go to school. All Afghans want our girls to go to school.”
Sediqi, and many Afghanistan fans around the world are thankful for New Zealand Cricket’s decision to play, and he is excited to see how the team perform against the Black Caps.
And as for the result, well Sediqi has a foot in each camp.
“I’m really happy for both sides. So I want a draw.”
The test match is the beginning of a busy period for the Black Caps, with a two-test series in Sri Lanka after the Afghanistan match before they head back to India for a three-test series against India.
