The Taliban government’s restrictions on women in the country had endangered England’s match versus Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been requested to boycott the match against Afghanistan.
From February 19 to March 9, Pakistan, along with Dubai, will host the eight-team Champions Trophy. Australia and South Africa join England and Afghanistan in Group B, while Pakistan, India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh form Group A.
The Taliban, Afghanistan’s reigning regime, has faced widespread criticism for its limits on women’s rights. Women and girls have had their rights violated since they took over the country in 2021.
The closure of girls’ colleges jeopardized women’s higher education. While some of the ladies were able to flee the nation and seek asylum in other countries, others continued to face persecution.
England asked to boycott the CT 2025 match against Afghanistan
Around 160 British parliamentarians have requested the ECB to withdraw from England’s Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan owing to their limitations and crimes against women since taking over the country.
Britain has two parliamentary chambers: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. It featured Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
“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. 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,” a letter, written by Labor MP Tonia Antoniazzi to ECB chief executive Richard Gould, read.
The Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021 when the US troops left the country after being there for two decades. Since then, women have been disallowed for any sort of education and playing sports. The country’s women’s cricket team was also destabilized once the Taliban took over.
ECB Richard Gould reacts to MP’s demand of boycott; rejects proposal
The ECB’s chief executive, Richard Gould, has decried the Taliban regime’s treatment of women. He also claims to have upheld the ECB’s policy of not booking any bilateral series against Afghanistan.
“The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. 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.
A coordinated, ICC-wide approach would be significantly more impactful than unilateral actions by individual members. The ECB is committed to finding a solution that upholds the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan while also considering the broader impact on the Afghan people. 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 said as per BBC report.
Individual cricket boards oversee bilateral matches, but competitions like the Champions Trophy are run by the International Cricket Council, and England will play Afghanistan as scheduled.
England has faced Afghanistan three times in one-day and T20 internationals, all at the ICC level, and lost their most recent match at the 2023 50-over World Cup.
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