CSA joins ECB in urging ICC for collective action on Afghanistan cricket boycott and champions trophy inclusion
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has urged for a “unified and collective approach” within the International Cricket Council (ICC) as calls to boycott Afghanistan over their government’s suppression of women’s rights gain traction. The move comes after more than 160 UK politicians petitioned the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to refuse their Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan next month.
The controversy stems from the Taliban regime’s severe restrictions on women, including effectively outlawing their participation in sports since reclaiming power in 2021. While ICC regulations mandate women’s cricket programmes as a requirement for full membership, Afghanistan’s men’s team has faced no sanctions and continues to compete in international tournaments.
CSA president Rihan Richards condemned the suppression of women’s rights as “abhorrent” and backed collaborative action. “We are of the view that a more unified and collective approach from all ICC members will be more impactful,” he said. Richards also emphasised CSA’s commitment to dialogue with the ICC to “uphold women’s cricket in Afghanistan and influence meaningful change.”
CSA’s stance follows similar calls from UK politicians, including Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, and former Labour leaders Jeremy Corbyn and Lord Kinnock, who co-signed a letter urging England to take a stand. South Africa’s sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, has also supported a boycott.
Embed from Getty Images“Cricket federations and the ICC must think carefully about the message cricket sends to the world, especially women in sport,” McKenzie said. Drawing on South Africa’s history, he added, “As a man from a race denied equal sporting opportunities under Apartheid, it would be hypocritical and immoral to look the other way when the same is done towards women anywhere in the world.”
Afghanistan’s Champions Trophy participation has sparked a global debate about accountability. The ICC faces mounting pressure to enforce its own regulations while addressing cricket’s role in influencing societal change. Despite the controversy, Afghanistan is set to compete in Group B alongside South Africa, England, and Australia, with matches scheduled to start on 19 February in Pakistan and Dubai.
South Africa is due to face Afghanistan in their opening game on 21 February in Karachi. However, the growing demand for action has left the fixture in doubt. CSA affirmed its belief that women’s cricket deserves “equal recognition and resources” and called on the ICC to guide decisions in accordance with international tournament regulations.
As the clock ticks towards the Champions Trophy, the question remains whether cricket can balance its global commitments with the moral obligation to support women’s rights. The debate highlights cricket’s potential to be more than a game—serving as a platform for change or perpetuating a troubling status quo.
