After Australia withdrew from an upcoming round against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, citing Taliban moves to further restrict women’s rights, the country’s cricketers are reacting strongly. The men’s team were due to play their Afghan counterparts in three ODI matches in March after a tour of India. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in Kabul called Australia’s decision “pathetic”. “The decision to step down…is unfair and unexpected and will have a negative impact,” the ACB said in a statement, which did not mention the diminishing rights of women in Afghanistan or the ban on women’s sport by the Taliban.
Afghan star cricketer Rashid Khan also reacted strongly. “Cricket! The only hope for the country. Keep politics out of it. @CricketAus @BBL @ACBofficials,” he tweeted along with a photo, which had the text below.
“I’m really disappointed to hear that Australia have pulled out of the series to play us in March. I’m very proud to represent my country and we’ve made great strides on the world stage. bring back on this trip.” “If playing against Afghanistan is so uncomfortable for Australia, I wouldn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable with my presence in the BBL. Therefore, I will seriously consider my future in this competition.”
The ACB said it would contact the International Cricket Council and considered removing its players from the Australian Big Bash League in retaliation. Cricket Australia (CA) said its decision was made after discussions with affected parties, including the Australian government.
“This decision follows the Taliban’s recent announcement of further restrictions on education and employment opportunities for women and girls and their ability to access parks and gymnasiums,” he said. in a press release. CA is committed to supporting the growth of the game for women and men around the world, including in Afghanistan.
“(We) will continue to engage with the Afghanistan Cricket Board in anticipation of improving conditions for women and girls in the country,” he said.
The matches against Afghanistan were part of the ICC Super League. Australia will drop 30 competition points for the series, which goes towards qualifying for the World Cup.
However, they have already secured automatic qualification for the 50+ tournament in India later this year. Afghan ODI and test captain Hasmatullah Shahidi stated that “fans and Afghans who have suffered immensely from the conflict … do not want politics to be embedded in sport”.
“Cricket is the country’s most beloved sport and one of the main sources of happiness,” he said on Twitter, asking CA to reconsider.
‘Only reason for happiness’
rhythm melon Naveen-ul-Haq has previously suggested he would retire from the Big Bash League where he plays for the Sydney Sixers.
“When a country is going through so much instead of being together, you want to take away the only reason for happiness,” he tweeted. The Taliban regained control of Kabul in August 2021 and quickly began imposing restrictions on women’s participation in sport.
Hardline Islamists initially promised a softer approach than their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, a period notorious for rights abuses that included public executions and floggings. They gradually reintroduced an extreme interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia, and women saw their rights evaporate as they were pushed out of public life.
The Taliban banned teenage girls from attending secondary schools, then last month banned women from attending universities, sparking Afghan outrage and protests in some cities. They then decreed at the end of last month that Afghan women could no longer work for NGOs, at a time when Afghanistan is facing one of the world’s humanitarian crises, with its population of 38 million starving and three million children threatened by the worst malnutrition.
Most government workers have lost their jobs. Women are also prohibited from traveling without a male relative and have been told they must cover themselves with a burqa or hijab when outside the home. In November, women were also banned from entering parks, fairgrounds, gymnasiums and public baths.
Featured Video of the Day
India vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli slams 45th ODI ton, takes 61 fewer innings to equal Tendulkar’s staggering record
Topics discussed in this article
0 Comments