While the Afghanistan men’s cricket team has been on the rise and has impressed one and all around the world, there is an equal or even more amount of despair surrounding the Afghanistan women’s team. It’s been a disheartening story as the helplessness has only grown over the last few years.
Once the Taliban took over the country, women in Afghanistan have been banned from pursuing further studies or even going to parks or sporting venues. In fact, the condition is so bad that female athletes were forced to put their kits and gears on fire in order to remain safe and unidentified. There were constant raids by the Taliban to maintain their power and stance on women’s sports.
Such was the criticality of the situation that the women’s cricket team flew away from Afghanistan. They sought shelter in Pakistan before flying to Australia where they were granted emergency visas. At the moment, most of the women’s cricketers from Afghanistan are living there.
They have not even been paid over the last three years since the Taliban took control. In fact, there has been absolutely no contact from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) or the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Things are only getting bad to worse. The Taliban who are in charge in Afghanistan since August 2021 have introduced a new rule which now forbids women from talking or giving speeches in public. In fact, the new regulation is such that the women cannot even be heard reading or singing loudly inside their own houses. Khalid Hanafi who is the Minister of Virtue for Taliban has prohibited women from hearing other females’ voices. The new rules state that women who do not adhere to these laws will directly be sent to prison or assaulted in public.
No contact by ICC or Afghanistan Cricket Board
Thus, the Afghanistan women’s cricket team who have put in multiple plea requests continue to suffer. Their safety continues to be an issue and it’s high time ICC prioritize them.
“The Afghan women’s cricket team are emblematic of the women of Afghanistan and the international cricketing community owes these trailblazing athletes their support, to send a clear message about the consensus of international outrage over their appalling treatment. It’s horrendous that the cricket team had to flee for their safety, but it’s also extremely concerning that Afghan women cricketers feel so let down by the ICC and the international cricketing community. Having rightly pledged to uphold anti-discrimination values, the ICC needs to stop ignoring Afghanistan’s brave women’s team and set about providing them with proper recognition and support,” Stephen Cockburn who is the Amnesty International’s head of economic and social justice was quoted saying according to Sky Sports.
It was back in November 2020 that the ACB had awarded 25 female cricketers with contracts but now, everything has gone to dust in the last three years. Australia have constantly pulled out of bilateral series against the men’s team because of the Taliban rule and the women’s cricket team not playing cricket or any other sports.
