England faces calls to Boycott Cricket Match against Afghanistan

More than 160 MPs have called on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott the upcoming Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan.

England is scheduled to play Afghanistan in the Champions trophy at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan on February 26.

The tournament will take place across Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

In an X post, Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi said she has written to the ECB, urging it to “speak out against the Taliban’s unconscionable oppression of women and girls”.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, female participation in cricket has effectively been outlawed, something that puts the Afghanistan Cricket Board in direct breach of the International Cricket Council’s rules.

But Afghanistan’s men’s teams have been allowed to participate in ICC tournaments, seemingly without any sanctions.

The letter, addressed to ECB chief executive Richard Gould, says:

“We strongly urge the England men’s team players and officials to speak out against the horrific treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban.

“We also urge the ECB to consider a boycott of the upcoming match against Afghanistan… to send a clear signal that such grotesque abuses will not be tolerated.

“We must stand against sex apartheid and we implore the ECB to deliver a firm message of solidarity and hope to Afghan women and girls that their suffering has not been overlooked.”

Ms Antoniazzi’s letter was signed by the likes of Nigel Farage, and former Labour leaders Jeremy Corbyn and Lord Kinnock.

Sir Keir Starmer called on the ICC to “deliver on their own rules” when it comes to women’s rights in Afghanistan.

A spokesperson for the PM said: “The ICC should clearly deliver on their own rules and make sure that they’re supporting women’s cricket as the ECB do.

“That’s why we support the fact that the ECB are making representations to the ICC on this issue.

“The erosion of women and girls’ rights by the Taliban is clearly appalling.

“We’ll work with the ECB on this issue, we’re in contact with them. Ultimately this is a matter for the ICC in relation to the Champions Trophy.

“We should remember that Afghanistani cricket for a long time has been a beacon of hope for the Afghanistani people, it’s terrible the way in which the women’s team has been suppressed.

“This issue in relation to the erosion of women’s and girls’ rights by the Taliban is clearly a bigger issue than cricket. The focus here shouldn’t be on the cricketers but on the Taliban.”

Responding to the letter, Mr Gould reaffirmed the ECB’s principles while suggesting it favoured a uniform approach from all member nations rather than acting alone.

He said:

“The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.”

Mr Gould added that the ECB has no intention of engaging in a bilateral series with Afghanistan while the Taliban regime is in power.

Friba Rezayee, one of Afghanistan’s first female Olympians, said female Afghani cricketers and athletes in other sports were being treated “as if they didn’t exist” by the Taliban regime.

She also urged England to boycott the match.