Cricket South Africa confirms playing bilaterals with Afghanistan in future

South Africa's cricket governing body has reconfirmed its commitment to maintaining bilateral fixtures with Afghanistan, despite pressure to boycott the country over the Taliban government's treatment of women. Cricket South Africa (CSA) issued a statement on Thursday, addressing the controversy and explaining its stance on the matter.

The decision comes in response to criticism from various quarters, including the activist organization Lawyers for Human Rights, which argued that engaging with Afghanistan's men's cricket team could be seen as tacitly endorsing the repressive Taliban regime. However, CSA has chosen to take a nuanced approach to the situation.

In its statement, CSA emphasized that while it strongly believes in gender equity and the equal recognition of women's cricket, it does not support punishing Afghan cricket players for the actions of their government.

"CSA remains mindful that gender equity should never come at the expense of one gender over another. We recognize that advocating for the advancement of one gender should not undermine the rights of the other. CSA believes there is no justification for subjecting Afghan cricket players - both male and female - to secondary persecution for the actions of the Taliban. We will continue to engage with member countries within the formal structures of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to address this matter," the statement said.

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Cricket administrators and players stand to lose nothing from punishment: CSA statement 

Cricket South Africa's position aligns with that of the International Cricket Council (ICC), which has been cautious about banning Afghanistan despite it being the only Full Member without a women's side. Contrasting with Cricket Australia's decision to refuse bilateral engagements with Afghanistan, CSA believes that isolating the Afghan men's team would be ineffective in promoting change. 

"Gender advocacy in cricket should never be advanced by meting out punishment on innocent cricket administrators and players for the misdemeanors of a regime that stands to lose nothing from that punishment," its statement added.

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Drawing comparisons with South Africa's history of sporting isolation during the apartheid era, CSA believes that sports bans alone were not the primary catalyst for change. Feeling that economic sanctions played a more significant role in dismantling the apartheid system. CSA also acknowledges the progress made by the Afghanistan Cricket Board in promoting women's cricket before the Taliban's 2021 ban on female participation in sports. 

"Any measures we consider must take into account the progress made by the Afghanistan Cricket Board in promoting women's cricket prior to the Taliban's ban on female participation in sports in August 2021," the statement further added.