British politicians urge England to boycott Afghanistan at Champions Trophy | Cricket news

England Cricket Board proposes response to ‘wider ICC’ against Afghanistan over Taliban abuse of women in response to letter from MPs.

A group of British politicians has called on England to boycott its ICC Champions Trophy cricket match against Afghanistan next month, saying the country’s cricket officials must take a stand against the Taliban’s crushing of women.

A letter signed by more than 160 MPs on Monday called on England players and officials to speak out against the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan.

“We also call upon the ECB to consider boycotting the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy group stage match against Afghanistan on February 26 to send a clear signal that such grotesque abuses will not be tolerated,” the letter added.

Written by Labor MP Tonia Antoniazzi and signed by a cross-party group from the House of Commons and House of Lords, including Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn, it raises the “insidious dystopia” unfolding in Afghanistan.

Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have curtailed the rights of women and girls, limiting their access to education and work, restricting their freedom of movement and forcing them to cover their faces and bodies.

Women and girls are also banned from sports and gyms, in violation of International Cricket Council (ICC) rules.

The Afghanistan women’s national team was also disbanded, with several members fleeing the country after 2021.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Richard Gould responded to a letter from politicians calling for a unified approach by all member countries towards Afghanistan’s participation in international cricket.

“The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime,” Gould said.

“The ICC Constitution mandates that all member countries are committed to the growth and development of women’s cricket. In line with this commitment, the ECB has maintained its stance of not scheduling bilateral cricket matches against Afghanistan.

“While no consensus has been reached on further international action within the ICC, the ECB will continue to actively advocate for such measures. A coordinated approach at the ICC level would be significantly more effective than unilateral actions by individual members.”

Australia has in recent years refused play bilateral series against Afghanistan on three occasions, citing discomfort with the Taliban’s ongoing policy on women’s participation in the sport, but continue to face the South Asian nation at major tournaments.

Cricket Australia cited “deteriorating human rights for women and girls in a country under Taliban rule” as the reason for canceling the series, with CA president Mike Baird saying he was “very proud of the position we took”.

“We’ve taken a stand and we’re standing proudly where we think we need to be,” Baird said.

“There are all kinds of lines you can draw. We have drawn the line.”

In December, Afghanistan’s top cricket stars Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi pushed Taliban to review its ban on women’s access to medical education and training, calling the move “deeply unjust”.

Rashid, 26, a global sports icon, said the country “desperately needs experts in all fields, especially in the medical sector”.

T20 captain Rashid said he was speaking in support of his Afghan “sisters and mothers” and believed the decision would have a profound impact on the future of Afghan women as well as the “broader fabric of society”.

Afghanistan have become a bigger force in white-ball cricket in recent years, rising to eighth in the ODI world rankings.

They defeated England in the 2023 50-over World Cup and reached the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup, eliminating Australia in the process.

Afghanistan have been placed in Group B – along with England, Australia and South Africa – for the eight-team Champions Trophy tournament to be played in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19 to March 9.

Dubai will host India’s matches after the T20 world champions refused to travel to Pakistan.