Cricket South Africa Joins Global Protest Against Afghanistan

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has joined the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in calling for a “unified and collective approach” to address Afghanistan’s participation in next month’s Champions Trophy. This follows growing calls to boycott England’s scheduled match against Afghanistan over concerns about the Taliban regime’s crackdown on women’s rights. More than 160 UK politicians signed a letter urging the ECB to refuse playing the 50-over match in protest.

CSA, in response, emphasized that a coordinated stance from all International Cricket Council (ICC) members would have a greater impact. CSA president Rihan Richards reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to engage with the ICC to find a solution that supports women’s cricket in Afghanistan and fosters meaningful change. The CSA also echoed concerns raised by former MP Lord Peter Hain. The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 has led to the effective outlawing of women’s participation in sport with many Afghan female players fleeing for safety.

While the ICC requires full members to have women’s cricket teams, Afghanistan’s men’s team continues to compete in ICC tournaments without sanctions. Cricket South Africa (CSA)  stated that the suppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan is “abhorrent” and that women’s cricket should receive “equal recognition and resources.” It further stressed that the decision on Afghanistan’s participation should align with ICC regulations for international tournaments.

South Africa is scheduled to face Afghanistan in their opening Champions Trophy match on 21 February in Karachi. The country’s sports minister, Gayton McKenzie has publicly supported the boycott, stating that he would not endorse facing Afghanistan due to the ongoing women’s rights violations. The Champions Trophy, hosted by Pakistan and Dubai, runs from 19 February to 9 March.