Afghan Women Cricketers Seek ICC Help for Refugee Team

Afghan Women Cricketers Seek ICC Support for Refugee Team

In the wake of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, 17 female cricketers who were contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in 2020 have appealed to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for assistance in establishing a refugee team based in Australia.

The players, who have been unable to represent their country since the Taliban banned women from participating in sports, have requested the ICC's "support and guidance" in formalizing their team. They acknowledge that the ACB cannot recognize them as a national team due to government policies.

Instead, the players have proposed being administered by the East Asian Cricket office based at Cricket Australia as a refugee team. This would allow them to "represent all Afghan women who dream of playing cricket but are unable to in Afghanistan."

The players' request comes as the Afghan men's cricket team has achieved unprecedented success, reaching the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. While expressing pride in the men's achievements, the women's players lamented their own inability to represent their country.

"A profound sadness remains that we, as women, cannot represent our country like the male cricketers," they wrote in a letter to ICC Chair Greg Barclay.

The ICC currently cannot offer the players official status because it relies on individual boards to compile and recognize teams. The ACB, due to the Taliban's stance on women, cannot recognize a women's team.

To address this, the exiled players have requested recognition as a refugee team. They emphasize that only Afghan refugee cricketers would be included in their proposed set-up.

"Our goals in having a refugee team are to develop and showcase our talent, give hope to the women remaining in Afghanistan, and to draw attention to the challenges women of Afghanistan face," the players stated.

The ICC has been contacted for comment on the players' request.

Tags: #AfghanCricket, #WomenInSports, #RefugeeTeam, #ICC, #Taliban