Women’s rights matter more than any league, say Afghan cricketers

Afghan women cricketers say overseas players who join the inaugural Afghanistan Premier League risk signalling that the loss of women’s rights in Afghanistan can be ignored. They argue that players had an opportunity to show solidarity with Afghan women and girls, while stressing that their criticism is about human rights, not Afghan men’s cricket.

Women’s participation in sport has been effectively outlawed since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, and many female players fled for safety. Eight English players were selected in the league draft, alongside players from Scotland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand; the tournament is expected to begin in December in the UAE but has not been sanctioned by the ICC. The ECB and Cricket Australia have refused to schedule bilateral matches with Afghanistan, while the ICC and cricket boards of England, Australia and India have provided funding for the refugee women’s team.