On Tuesday, Cricket Australia declared their decision to delay the upcoming men’s series against Afghanistan due to the worsening human rights conditions, particularly for women and girls, in the nation.
Over the past year, CA has been in constant communication with the Australian government regarding the Afghanistan situation. The government’s advice indicates that the conditions for women and girls in the country are deteriorating.
Consequently, the board has upheld its previous stance and opted to postpone the bilateral series with Afghanistan.
The announcement arrives as the Australian team prepared to face Afghanistan’s men’s squad in a three-match T20I series scheduled for August this year. This marks the third instance where the Australian board has refused to participate against Afghanistan, citing human rights issues.
Earlier, the Kangaroos withdrew from a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series in January 2023, initially planned for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The cancellation of the series led to disappointment among both Afghan players and fans, who voiced their disapproval of the Australian board’s decision. Prior to this, a single Test match, initially scheduled to take place in Hobart, Australia in 2021, was also called off before the teams could compete.
Cricket Australia reaffirms its commitment to fostering women’s and girls’ involvement in global cricket. They emphasize their ongoing collaboration with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Afghanistan Cricket Board to explore potential steps for resuming bilateral matches in the future.
It is essential to note that although Australia has declined to participate in bilateral matches, they have still engaged in ICC events with Afghanistan, most notably their exciting World Cup 2023 encounter being the latest memorable match.
