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There is growing pressure on England to boycott February’s Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan, but for those living under Taliban rule cricket provides “a moment of peace in a life of struggles”.
This is the view of a talented teenage cricketer who was stripped of his right to play the sport, among myriad other restrictions imposed by the Taliban since they regained power in Afghanistan in 2021 .
She believes that if Brendon McCullum’s team were to boycott their match against Afghanistan – as was urged by 160 parliamentarians in a letter to the England and Wales Cricket Commission in response to appalling oppression of women and girls from the Taliban regime and their withdrawal and their withdrawal from the Taliban regime Rights that continue unabated” – this would prove to be a double-edged sword.
“I understand that people want to support Afghan women, and I appreciate that they care, but cricket is one of the few things that brings happiness to Afghanistan,” she said Telegraph sport from inside the country controlled by the Taliban.
“Cricket is more than just a game for us, it is a moment of peace in a life of hardship. We sit and watch as a family, we watch the game, and for a little while we forget our worries and enjoy the game.
“The Afghan men’s cricket team players worked very hard and they had a lot of achievements at times when Afghanistan had a lot of problems. They are not responsible for what happens to women in Afghanistan. »
That England would not boycott the Champions Trophy match is a view echoed by Roya Samim, an Afghan cricketer who has lived in exile in Canada since the Taliban takeover. Samim believes international support is essential to raising awareness of the Afghan women’s cricket team’s conflict struggles – but that it should not come at the expense of other athletes.
“As an athlete, I believe that boycotting events like the one in question could have a negative impact on Afghan players who have no control over the political situation,” she said.
“It is essential to continue to defend the rights of Afghan girls, but without actions that harm athletes who are also affected by the current climate.”
Of her life abroad, Samim says she has “freedom, I can do what I want,” but she is fully aware that this is not the case for those still in Afghanistan. “It completely changes the life of every girl in Afghanistan, especially those who play sports and cricket, exactly because they don’t accept us,” she added of her country’s current regime.
The teenager who spoke to Telegraph sport is one of the youngest Afghan girls who have had their ambitions crushed by the restrictions imposed by Taliban rule.
“I wanted to become a real cricketer one day,” she said. “Right now, my dreams are impossible, but it taught us that no matter how many times you fall, you always get up and keep playing, and that’s what I will do.”
Farage and Knight show their support
Nigel Farage is among MPs calling on England to boycott next month’s match against Afghanistan. Asked about the teenager, Farage said Telegraph sport: “It is a travesty that the dreams of this talented young girl are shattered by the Taliban regime. All MPs should help raise awareness and oppose this injustice. »
Heather Knight, the England women’s captain, also voiced her support for the Afghan women’s team. In Australia for the Women’s Ashes, she met members of the team living in exile and shared a photo with them on social media.
“Afghan women’s cricket has been completely erased and without voices like hers, the world could forget us entirely,” the teenage cricketer said of Knight.
“We have no teams, no training and no future in the sport. But when cricket leaders raise their voices, it gives us hope that change is possible. We need more support, more opportunities and, above all, recognition that we exist and deserve a place in this game.”
ICC told to ‘wake up’ to plight of Afghan women
By Polly Starkie
“Please wake up, we are here.” This was Afghan cricketer Benafsha Hashimi’s plea to the International Cricket Council ahead of a historic match in Melbourne.
An Afghan Women’s XI will play Borderless XI cricket at Junction Oval, Melbourne on January 30 ahead of the Women’s Ashes Test match at the MCG – the first time these exiled players have been able to represent their country since the Taliban regains control in 2021 .
“It has been a dream for us for so long to play under the name Afghanistan,” Hashimi said. “I know it’s not a national [team] But we still represent Afghanistan. It’s really good that we open the door and have at least one match that tells the world that we are here. »
Hashimi is one of 130 people linked to cricket who were evacuated from Afghanistan when the Taliban regained power and brought to Canberra and Melbourne. Many national team players burned their kit in fear that it could be discovered by the Taliban and lead to fatal consequences and all they could take in their escape was seven kilograms of belongings.
“The way our cricket community has wrapped their arms around these girls and used cricket as a vehicle to help them integrate into Melbourne and Canberra primarily has just been truly wonderful,” said Olivia Thornton, chief executive. of Cricket Act, the governing body for sport in the Australian Capital Territory.
The team will play with an crest designed by Hashimi that features the Australian and Afghan national flowers, representing the history of this team.
“I feel like we’re making history,” said compatriot Sofia Yosofazi. “This is a first step to represent Afghanistan and let everyone know that Afghan women can play cricket too. As we know the circumstances in Afghanistan for women, they cannot even educate themselves. »
The Afghan women’s program was disbanded when the Taliban took power, which is in violation of ICC rules, but the men’s team was allowed to continue operating. Cricket Australia has been proactive in helping the Afghan women’s team, while the ICC has said it is the responsibility of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) to organize women’s cricket. The ACB is run by the Taliban.
‘The ICC continues to ignore us’
Hashimi hopes the match in Melbourne will prompt the ICC to take steps to ensure the Afghan women’s team can play on the world stage.
“When this game ends, we really don’t want it to end. We want to go further and have another match,” Hashimi said. “We hope to get some support from the ICC. We are very happy to have Australia cricket with us, so we don’t want to have the first and last match [next week]we want to have more opportunities, have more experience on the field and show our talents.
“I say all the time, ‘Please wake up, we are here.’ When I came here from the beginning until now, we continue to send them [the ICC] Emails and they continue to ignore us which is very, very disappointing. The message will always be the same: please wake up, we need help, we need support.
“We are also women. We are from Afghanistan, the country where women are always considered inferior, so don’t do this to us. »
