Afghanistan women urge ICC to help them establish refugee team in Australia

In a significant move that highlights both the triumphs and adversity of Afghan cricket, 17 female players formerly contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), have appealed to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for assistance in establishing a refugee team based in Australia.

The request comes at a time when the Afghan men's cricket team has captured global attention with their remarkable performance in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, reaching the semi-finals. While celebrating this achievement, the women's plea emphasizes a stark contrast in opportunities. A letter addressed to ICC Chair Greg Barclay read as follows -

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. 

A profound sadness remains that we, as women, cannot represent our country like the male cricketers. Due to the government policies of Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Cricket Board and thus the ICC cannot recognize us as a national team of Afghanistan.

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We want to recruit and train girls and women who love cricket: Afghanistan women's team

The Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021 led to severe restrictions on women's participation in public life, including sports. This political shift abruptly halted the progress made in women's cricket, forcing many players to seek refuge abroad.

Recognizing the complexities of their situation, the players are not demanding to play under the ACB banner or be called the Afghan national team. Instead, they propose a unique solution, a refugee team administered by the East Asian Cricket office based at Cricket Australia.

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.

This initiative faces significant challenges. The ICC, as a member organization, typically relies on individual boards to recognize teams. The ACB, constrained by the Taliban's policies, cannot officially acknowledge a women's team.

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. Like the Afghanistan men's team, we aim to compete at the highest levels.

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Despite these obstacles, the players remain determined. They see their proposed team as a ray of hope and a platform to demonstrate the potential of Afghan women in cricket. 

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.