The Afghanistan refugee women's cricket team is set to tour England this summer, a landmark event for players displaced by the Taliban's return to power. Many squad members resettled in Australia after fleeing Afghanistan in 2021, following the ban on women's sport and widespread gender discrimination.
Tour Details and Support
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) extended the invitation, partnering with MCC to provide high-quality training facilities. The team will also attend the T20 World Cup final at Lord's on 5 July. ECB's Clare Connor and former Australian cricketer Mel Jones praised the team's extraordinary resilience, with Jones emphasising the tour as a major step forward but highlighting the need for sustained action.
Ongoing Scrutiny of ICC
The tour occurs amid ongoing scrutiny of the International Cricket Council (ICC) for allowing Afghanistan's men's team to participate in tournaments despite the absence of a representative women's team, which violates membership rules.
