With dreams of once again donning the Afghanistan jersey on the international stage, 17 women cricketers from the country, now living in self-imposed exile in Australia, have written to the ICC (International Cricket Council). They are seeking assistance in establishing a team after the original one was disbanded following the Taliban takeover in 2021.
While the Afghanistan men’s team has reached new heights, recently making it to the T20 World Cup 2024 semifinals for the first time, the women players, previously contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board, sought refuge in Australia. There, they hope to form a refugee team and compete in international cricket.
In a heartfelt letter to the ICC, the women cricketers praised the men’s team’s splendid performance in the T20 World Cup but lamented their lack of opportunities to flourish.
“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, dated June 29, stated.
“A profound sadness remains that we, as women, cannot represent our country like the male cricketers.”
The Afghanistan government’s stringent rules for women prohibit them from engaging in sports activities.
“As former Afghan cricketers now living abroad, we are unable to represent the Afghanistan women’s national team. We are asking the ICC to assist us in setting up a refugee team in Australia,” the letter added.
The players suggested that the team could be administered through the East Asian Cricket office, based at Cricket Australia. However, they acknowledged that “due to the government policies of Afghanistan and the Afghanistan Cricket Board, the ICC cannot recognise them as a national team of Afghanistan”.
“Through this team, we aim to represent all Afghan women who dream of playing cricket but are unable to in Afghanistan.”
The players envision their proposed team as one “without borders,” drawing attention to the challenges faced by women players in Afghanistan.
“Creating a team of Afghan refugees can give us a chance to play, coach, and administer a cricket team without borders. The creation of this team will allow all Afghan women who want to represent their country to come together under one banner,” the players said in their letter.
“Our goals in having a refugee team are to develop and showcase our talent, give hope to the women remaining in Afghanistan, and draw attention to the challenges women of Afghanistan face.”
The women cricketers’ plea highlights the ongoing struggle for gender equality in sports and the resilience of those who continue to fight for their dreams, even in the face of adversity.
