The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has turned down requests for the national team to skip an upcoming match against Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, even though many people have strongly criticized the Taliban’s attack on women’s rights.
England is set to play Afghanistan in Lahore on February 26 in their second match of the tournament. The ECB is facing pressure to take action after getting a letter from Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, signed by over 160 politicians from different parties, including Jeremy Corbyn, Lord Kinnock, and Nigel Farage.
In the letter, Antoniazzi expresses worries about the “insidious dystopia” and “sex apartheid” in Afghanistan, where women’s sports have been mostly banned since the Taliban took control in 2021. During this time, the men’s cricket team has played England twice, only at ICC global events, including a famous win in their last match at the 2023 ODI World Cup.
“We strongly urge the England men’s team players and officials to speak out against the horrific treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban,” the letter, sent to Gould
“We also urge the ECB to consider a boycott of the upcoming match against Afghanistan … to send a clear signal that such grotesque abuses will not be tolerated. We must stand against sex apartheid and we implore the ECB to deliver a firm message of solidarity and hope to Afghan women and girls that their suffering has not been overlooked.”
The situation is similar to what England’s cricketers went through at the 2003 World Cup when Nasser Hussain’s team was asked to skip their group match against Zimbabwe. It led to them losing points, which ruined their chances of qualifying for the later stages of the tournament.
“The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime,” Gould wrote. “The ICC constitution mandates that all member nations are committed to the growth and development of women’s cricket. In line with this commitment, the ECB has maintained its position of not scheduling any bilateral cricket matches against Afghanistan,” he continued.
“We acknowledge and respect the diverse perspectives on this global issue, “We understand the concerns raised by those who believe a boycott of men’s cricket could inadvertently support the Taliban’s efforts to suppress freedoms and isolate Afghan society.”
“We will continue to engage in constructive dialogue with the UK government, other stakeholders, the ICC, and other international cricket boards to explore all possible avenues for meaningful change,” Gould added.
Gould’s reply to Antoniazzi confirmed that the ECB does not plan to play a series with Afghanistan while the Taliban is in control. However, he said that their participation in ICC events is something the whole governing body decides, not just individual members.
Jasir Basharat is a cricket enthusiast capturing the heart of the game through insightful analysis and storytelling sharing his passion for the sport through engaging narratives. He is a business graduate from University of Kashmir.
