Afghanistan Women's Cricket Team Exiled in Australia Appeals to ICC

Diana Barakzai standing on a field holding a cricket bat

Afghanistan's female cricketers, now exiled in Australia, have petitioned cricket authorities to support the formation of a team independent of Taliban control. They are seeking financial backing from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to be able to play.

Instead of advocating for a ban on the men's team, which Cricket Australia currently refuses to play outside of world cups, the women cricketers have approached ICC chair Greg Barclay for support. In a letter, they expressed their sadness at not being able to represent their country and requested assistance in setting up a refugee team in Australia. This team would be managed by the East Asian Cricket office at Cricket Australia and would aim to represent Afghan women who dream of playing cricket but are unable to in Afghanistan.

A letter to the ICC

To Mr Greg Barclay, ICC Chair

29th June 2024

We, the formerly contracted players of the Afghanistan Women’s team, are proud and excited by the achievements of Afghanistan at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and wish to congratulate Rashid Khan and his team on reaching the semi-finals.

A profound sadness remains that we, as women, cannot represent our country like the male cricketers.

As former Afghan Cricketers now living abroad, we are unable to represent the Afghanistan women’s national team. We are asking the ICC to assist us in setting up a refugee team in Australia. It could be administered by the East Asian Cricket office based at Cricket Australia. Through this team we aim to represent all Afghan women who dream of playing cricket but are unable to in Afghanistan.

Creating a team of Afghan refugees can give us a chance to play, coach and administer a cricket team without borders. The creation of this team will allow all Afghan women who want to represent their country to come together under one banner.

Our goals in having a refugee team are to develop and showcase our talent, give hope to the women remaining in Afghanistan, and to draw attention to the challenges women of Afghanistan face.

Like the Afghanistan men’s team are afforded, we aim to compete at the highest levels. We want to recruit and train girls and women who love cricket, to show the world the talent of Afghan women and to demonstrate the great victories they can achieve if given a chance through the leadership and financial support of the ICC.

On behalf of the members of the former Afghanistan women’s cricket team now based in Australia

The Afghanistan men's team, led by Rashid Khan, recently made history by reaching the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies. This success highlights the disparity between the opportunities available to male and female cricketers from Afghanistan.

Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia's chief executive, acknowledged that the ICC would discuss the issue of funding for Afghanistan's female cricketers in Australia at its annual conference in Sri Lanka. He noted that while the women in Australia are receiving community support, Cricket Australia has not been directly involved in their cause.

Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, 22 of Afghanistan’s 25 female contracted cricketers have relocated to Australia, where they continue to play club cricket under the guidance of Diana Barakzai, the founder of the women's cricket program in Afghanistan. Despite the absence of a women's program, the Afghanistan Cricket Board still receives ICC funding, which includes over $16 million annually from a new rights deal and a share of revenue from the Asian Cricket Council.

At the upcoming ICC meetings in Colombo, any member board, including Cricket Australia, can propose funding for the Afghan women's cricketers. The ICC also has a strategic fund to support the growth of the game, which could potentially be utilized for this cause.

Rashid Khan has voiced his frustration over the limited opportunities to play against leading teams, a sentiment echoed by Australian Test opener Usman Khawaja. Khawaja argued that Cricket Australia's stance affects the players and the people of Afghanistan, who are distinct from their government. He emphasized that Afghan players, including Rashid, have publicly supported causes aligned with Cricket Australia's position, suggesting that withholding matches only harms the athletes.

There is precedent for a refugee team in international sports, as seen in the Olympics since 2016. With Twenty20 cricket set to be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the formation of a refugee team could pave the way for Afghan women to compete on the global stage.

Image credit: Reuters