(Source BBC)
Seventeen female players from Afghanistan have appealed to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for assistance in establishing a refugee team stationed in Australia.
Initially, in 2020, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had allocated contracts to these players. Unfortunately, the female team, formed in 2010, was dissolved in 2021 following the Taliban’s assumption of power in the country. The Taliban’s decree prohibited women from participating in any form of sports, resulting in the absence of a national women’s team in Afghanistan.
The players have now reached out to the ICC to revive their careers. Recently, they penned a letter to ICC Chair Greg Barclay, seeking “support and direction” from the organization to formalize their status.
In their correspondence, the players acknowledged that, owing to Afghan government policies, they cannot represent the national team or operate under the ACB’s auspices.
Nonetheless, they emphasized their desire to continue playing and proposed to be administered by the East Asian Cricket office, situated within Cricket Australia, as a refugee team. The players also highlighted the ICC’s potential role in “representing all Afghan women who aspire to play cricket but are unable to do so in Afghanistan.”
The Afghanistan women cricketers’ letter to the ICC
“We, the formerly contracted players of the Afghanistan Women’s team, are proud and excited by the achievements of Afghanistan at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, and wish to congratulate Rashid Khan and his team on reaching the semi-finals,” the letter read according to ESPNcricinfo.
“A profound sadness remains that we, as women, cannot represent our country like the male cricketers. We want to recruit and train girls and women who love cricket to show the world the talent of Afghan women, and to demonstrate the great victories they can achieve if given a chance through the leadership and financial support of the ICC.
“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.
“Like the Afghanistan men’s team, we aim to compete at the highest levels. We want to recruit and train girls and women who love cricket to show the world the talent of Afghan women, and to demonstrate the great victories they can achieve if given a chance through the leadership and financial support of the ICC,” added the letter.
The correspondence was sent shortly after the Afghanistan men’s cricket team achieved a remarkable feat in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Led by Rashid Khan, the team garnered global attention with their exceptional performance throughout the tournament. They achieved significant victories over formidable opponents such as New Zealand, Australia, and Bangladesh, ultimately advancing to the semifinals in a historic campaign that captivated the cricketing community.
