Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said the board has maintained a “close relationship and regular dialogue” with the Afghanistan Cricket Board. However, Australia are unlikely to play bilateral cricket with Afghanistan in the near future, citing the deterioration of human rights for women in the country. 

The Afghanistan men’s team have captivated cricket fans worldwide by their rapid rise to the game’s Test-match elite, with Rashid Khan’s side also reaching the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup. They even defeated Australia. But their success has led to a renewed focus on how women’s competitive sport in Afghanistan has collapsed since the Taliban regained power.

Australia have withdrawn from playing Afghanistan in a bilateral series thrice but have regularly played against them at ICC events. “They (Afghanistan) had a fantastic tournament with phenomenal players, and they played with great passion and spirit,” Hockley said. 

 “Regarding our bilateral matches, we have consulted extensively with stakeholders, including the Australian government, and chose to postpone our last couple of series with the Afghanistan Cricket Board on human-rights grounds.

“We maintain a close relationship and regular dialogue with the Afghanistan Cricket Board, and want to see cricket thrive worldwide for both men and women. We hope for a level of progress, and continue to discuss and maintain contact with the Afghanistan Cricket Board, aiming to resume bilateral cricket against Afghanistan at some point in the future.”

On July 1 (Monday), Members of the Afghanistan women’s cricket team effectively disbanded after the Taliban returned to power three years ago, urged the ICC officials to help them reform as a refugee side based in Australia. As one of just 12 Test-playing teams, Afghanistan are required to have a women’s team under International Cricket Council regulations.

But the ICC have so far resisted calls to suspend Afghanistan from international competition for failing to field a women’s side. ICC officials have instead said they are mandated to work through their member boards, leaving the Afghanistan women’s team frozen out from the world game.

But the women cricketers contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board the year before the Taliban took over attempted to end the deadlock in an open letter to ICC chairman Greg Barclay published on Monday. “We understand that the Afghanistan women based in Australia have written to the ICC,” Hockley said. 

“That’s a matter for the ICC to consider. We have meetings coming up in Colombo in July, and I’m sure it will be a topic of conversation. The Afghan women residing in Australia are engaged with the cricketing community, and they’re receiving excellent support from across the community. But it’s not something we were directly involved in.”

Following the Taliban takeover, a number of Afghanistan women cricketers fled the country for Australia, where they play for local club teams. “My understanding is that several of the players are playing for clubs in the cities in which they reside, so you have to say I think that the community here is very much supporting them.

“Any people that move and arrive in Australia are taking up the game, and joining cricket clubs – it’s a great way to meet people, great way to build relationships into the community. The broader cricketing fraternity has been offering their support.”

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