International cricket bosses resisting calls to ban Afghanistan, Sky News learns
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World cricket bosses have no plans to ban Afghanistan's men from the Champions Trophy or to demand the Taliban allow a women's team to represent the country, Sky News has learned. With the International Cricket Council's (ICC) own policy requiring Test-playing nations to support women's cricket, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is backing calls for the sport's global governing body to "deliver on their own rules".
Downing Street's intervention on Tuesday followed more than 160 MPs and peers asking the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott their match against Afghanistan at the ICC's 50-over tournament next month. And those boycott calls were backed today by South Africa sports minister Gayton McKenzie with his country also scheduled to play Afghanistan in the same group as England.
But Cricket South Africa responded by saying: "The position on Afghanistan must be guided by the world body in accordance with international tournament participation requirements and regulations.". The concern is the ICC is allowing a breach of its own rules since women and girls have been banned from sports since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and clamped down on rights, with female faces and bodies having to be covered.
But Sky News understands the ICC intends to try to ultimately influence the Taliban to allow women's cricket - using sport to deliver change - rather than penalising Afghanistan. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. . The ICC is understood to have adopted a view privately that male players should not be punished for the Afghanistan government's policies, believing its member association cannot control the Taliban's position.
