The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) finds itself at the centre of a growing controversy ahead of the team's ICC Champions Trophy fixture against Afghanistan on February 26th. The UK politicians have demanded the board to boycott the fixture as a protest against the Taliban regime's oppressive policies toward women and girls.
A coalition of over 160 politicians, led by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi and joined by figures such as Nigel Farage and former Labour leaders Jeremy Corbyn and Lord Kinnock, has urged the ECB to take a moral stand.
Tonia Antoniazzi in his tweet wrote, "Today I, alongside over 160 parliamentarians, have written to the England and Wales Cricket Board urging them to speak out against the Taliban's unconscionable oppression of women and girls and boycott their upcoming match against Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy. The ECB should be vocal against this medieval oppression and take a stand."
When Taliban recaptured Kabul in 2021, the Afghanistan women’s cricket team was disbanded and as per the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) regulations, member nations must support both men’s and women’s teams.
ECB CEO responds to boycotting Afghanistan match
ECB CEO Richard Gould said that while the board condemns the treatment of women and girls under the Taliban regime, he suggested a uniform approach from all member nations. “The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime,” said Gould.
“The ICC Constitution mandates that all member nations are committed to the growth and development of women’s cricket instead of the ECB taking a decision alone. “In line with this commitment, the ECB has maintained its position of not scheduling any bilateral cricket matches against Afghanistan.
“While there has not been a consensus on further international action within the ICC, the ECB will continue to actively advocate for such measures. A coordinated, ICC-wide approach would be significantly more impactful than unilateral actions by individual members,”
