Cricket Enthusiasts Await ICC’s Decision on Afghanistan Women’s Team

The Plight of the Afghanistan Women’s Cricket Team

The plight of the Afghanistan women’s cricket team has been a pressing issue for the International Cricket Council (ICC) since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. Despite the team’s difficult circumstances, the governing body’s response has been perceived as sluggish, with bureaucratic procedures seemingly taking precedence.

The story of the Afghanistan women’s cricket team is one of resilience and perseverance. After the Taliban’s takeover, the nascent team’s development was abruptly halted, and the players and their families faced immediate intimidation. Many were forced to flee the country, seeking refuge in neighboring nations. The majority settled in Melbourne, where they have had to rebuild their lives from scratch, balancing studies, language learning, and finding employment, while occasionally playing for local clubs.

Plea for Support

In November 2022 and June 2023, the players wrote to the ICC, seeking clarification on their status and requesting support for the establishment of a refugee team in Australia, to be administered by the East Asian Cricket Office. The players expressed a “profound sadness” at their inability to represent their country, as the men’s team has been able to do. They emphasized their desire to develop and showcase their talent, give hope to the women remaining in Afghanistan, and draw attention to the challenges faced by Afghan women.

ICC’s Response and Potential Solutions

Despite these pleas, the ICC has yet to provide a substantive response, though it is believed that the issue will be discussed at the organization’s next meeting later this month. The ICC’s chief executive, Geoff Allardice, has stated that the governing body’s remit is to engage with the players of a country only with the blessing of the board in that territory. However, the Afghanistan women’s players are no longer contracted to the Afghanistan Cricket Board and have no contact with them, as they no longer reside in Afghanistan.

The International Olympic Committee’s solution for the upcoming Paris Olympics offers a potential blueprint, with the invitation of a team of three male and three female Afghan athletes to compete under the previous western-backed government’s flag. A similar approach for a refugee team could provide the ICC with a viable option to support the Afghanistan women’s cricket team.

The future of the Afghanistan women’s team seemingly rests on the political will and geopolitical wrangling of the men in the boardrooms. With the BCCI secretary, Jay Shah, reportedly interested in running for the ICC chairmanship, the community eagerly awaits the governing body’s decision, hoping for an unprecedented solution to this unprecedented situation.

🔗 Source