England to play Afghanistan in ICC champions trophy despite boycott pressure
England’s cricket team will play Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy later this month, despite mounting calls for a boycott over the Taliban’s brutal suppression of women’s rights.
More than 160 politicians urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to refuse to take part in the match, set for 26 February in Lahore, as a show of solidarity with Afghan women who have been stripped of basic freedoms since the Taliban regained power in 2021.
However, ECB chair Richard Thompson insisted that withdrawing from the fixture would be ineffective, calling for a “coordinated international response.” He described the situation in Afghanistan as “nothing short of gender apartheid” but argued that unilateral action wouldn’t create meaningful change.
The ECB has pushed the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take action against the Afghanistan Cricket Board, which remains part of international tournaments despite its government’s clear violation of ICC rules regarding women’s participation in sport. The Taliban’s strict policies have effectively erased female athletes from Afghan society, leaving women’s cricket teams in exile.
Embed from Getty Images“At a cricketing level, when women’s and girls’ cricket is growing rapidly around the world, it is heartbreaking that those growing up in Afghanistan are denied this opportunity,” Thompson said.
He acknowledged the heated debate over boycotting the game but maintained that engagement was the better option. The ECB has consulted the UK government, ICC, and England’s players before finalising its stance.
“For many ordinary Afghans, watching their cricket team is one of the few remaining sources of enjoyment,” Thompson added, justifying the decision to proceed with the fixture.
The match will take place as scheduled, with England focusing on the competition while broader discussions over Afghanistan’s future in world cricket continue.
