Afghanistan’s displaced women cricketers are set to tour England next month in a significant milestone as they strive to rebuild their cricket careers following the Taliban’s return to power, which forced them out of sports and public life.
Tour Details and Significance
The Afghanistan Refugee Team will include players who were previously contracted with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and later fled the country after being “systematically excluded from sport and public life” by the Taliban, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The tour begins on June 22 and will feature Twenty20 matches, training sessions, and an opportunity for the players to attend the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord's Cricket Ground on July 5.
The ECB emphasized that the tour “carries significant cultural and sporting importance.” In a statement, the ECB said, “This tour represents not only an opportunity for them to compete as a team, but a moment for cricket in this country to stand for inclusion and the protection of women’s participation in sport.”
Background of the Players
Most of the Afghanistan players later settled in Australia, where they continued playing domestic cricket but remained without access to international matches. This is despite International Cricket Council (ICC) rules requiring all full members to support both men’s and women’s teams. The players have repeatedly asked the ICC to recognize them as a refugee team.
Their return to cricket has been supported by the consultancy firm “It’s Game On,” co-founded by former Australia cricketer Mel Jones. “These players have shown extraordinary courage and commitment to the game, despite everything that has been taken from them,” Jones said in the ECB statement. “They deserve more opportunities like this; they deserve to be recognized as part of the global cricket community.” Jones also called for more plans for “sustained and meaningful action beyond this year.”
ECB’s Commitment
ECB deputy chief executive Clare Connor said cricket had “a responsibility to stand for inclusion and opportunity.” “We are proud to be hosting this tour,” Connor said, “and supporting the players in deepening their connection to the game.”
The tour marks a crucial step for these athletes, offering them a platform to compete internationally and highlighting the ongoing struggle for women’s rights in sports under Taliban rule.
