OVER 160 British politicians have called on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott their Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan next month as a stand against the Taliban regime's restrictions on women's rights.
The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 has effectively banned female participation in sports, a move that violates the International Cricket Council's (ICC) regulations. Despite this, Afghanistan continues to compete in international cricket.
England's men's ODI team is scheduled to play Afghanistan in Lahore on February 26.
A cross-party group from the House of Commons and House of Lords, including figures such as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, urged the ECB to "speak out against the horrific treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban."
ECB CEO Richard Gould responded by emphasising the importance of a unified international approach. "The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime," he said.
"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.
"While there has not been a consensus on further international action within the ICC, the ECB will continue to actively advocate for such measures. A coordinated, ICC-wide approach would be significantly more impactful than unilateral actions by individual members."
Afghanistan, ranked eighth in ODI cricket, has seen significant success in recent years. They defeated England at the 2023 ODI World Cup and reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup last year, knocking out Australia.
(With inputs from AFP)
England's Jamie Overton celebrates after taking the wicket of West Indies' Gudakesh Motie. Reuters/Andrew Boyers