ICC Faces Pressure to Fund Afghanistan Women's Cricket

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is facing mounting pressure to address the Afghanistan Cricket Board's (ACB) failure to field a women's team, a key criterion for Full Membership. At the ICC's annual meetings in Colombo this weekend, the prospect of ring-fencing funds for Afghanistan women's cricket is expected to be raised.

Several cricket boards, including Cricket Australia (CA) and New Zealand Cricket (NZC), are reportedly keen to discuss the possibility of setting aside a percentage of the ICC's annual revenue distribution to Afghanistan for the development of women's cricket. This move would ensure that funds are specifically allocated and used towards supporting women's cricket in the country.

The discussion has gained urgency following a letter from 17 Afghanistan women cricketers to ICC Chair Greg Barclay. The letter requested assistance in establishing a refugee team in Australia, where many of them have fled. The letter acknowledged the achievements of the Afghanistan men's team but highlighted the Taliban's restrictive policies that prevent the ACB from recognizing a women's team.

Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, women's rights in Afghanistan have been severely curtailed, including restrictions on education, work, and sporting activities. The 17 women cricketers have asked the ICC to recognize them as a refugee team under the East Asian Cricket office based at Cricket Australia.

However, any such discussion will face complexities. The ICC's revenue distribution model does not specify how much money should be spent on women's cricket, making it challenging to determine an appropriate percentage to set aside. Additionally, the ACB receives approximately USD 17 million annually from the ICC, and it is unclear who would be responsible for directing the funds towards women's cricket.

The ICC relies on individual boards to compile and recognize teams, so it cannot officially recognize the 17 women who wrote to the ICC. These questions will need to be addressed if a proposal to ring-fence funds for Afghanistan women's cricket is agreed upon.

Tags: #AfghanistanCricket, #WomensCricket, #ICC, #Taliban, #CricketAustralia