Cricket

Afghanistan Women's Cricket Team to Play Historic Match in MelbourneAn Afghanistan women's cricket team, composed of refugees now residing in Australia, will make history by playing a match in Melbourne in January. This will be the first time the team has reunited since fleeing their homeland following the Taliban takeover.The T20 match between an Afghanistan Women's XI and a Cricket Without Borders XI will take place on January 30 at Junction Oval, preceding the opening day of the floodlit Women's Ashes Test at the MCG.The players involved escaped Afghanistan in 2021 when the Taliban seized power and now reside in Canberra and Melbourne. While many play for local cricket clubs, they have been unable to form a representative team until now.The Australian government has played a crucial role in facilitating the match. "Numerous individuals from the cricket community and beyond have collaborated to support the Afghanistan women's team members since their relocation to Australia," said Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley. "This match will serve as a testament to their efforts."Earlier this year, 17 players who were contracted to the Afghanistan Cricket Board in 2020 penned a letter to the ICC requesting assistance in establishing a refugee team in Australia. "Our goal is to showcase our talent, inspire women in Afghanistan, and highlight the challenges they face," the letter stated. "We aspire to compete at the highest level, like the Afghanistan men's team."On Tuesday, CA announced a partnership with UNICEF Australia as part of the foundation's "Until Every Girl Can Play" campaign, which promotes gender equality.The match will not only be a celebration of the team's resilience but also a symbol of hope for women in Afghanistan. It will demonstrate the power of sport to unite and empower individuals, regardless of their circumstances.

Afghan Women Cricketers Seek ICC Support for Refugee TeamIn 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.