Cricket Australia (CA) says government advice is that conditions for women and girls “are getting worse”.

It is the third time Australia has declined to play Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

A one-off Test match in September 2021 and a three-match men’s one-day series in March 2023 were also cancelled.

  • Zagorath
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    15
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    9 months ago

    What disgusts me is that we seem to be alone in this. Many other countries are still playing against them, and the ICC itself has done nothing. This despite the fact that their own rules are quite clear: full ICC members must have a women’s team. They should be suspended as members until that happens. They should not have been allowed into last year’s World Cup.

    Shame on Ireland, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and any other country, especially full ICC members, who has played cricket against Afghanistan. And shame especially on the ICC for failing to apply their rules.

  • Lintson
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    9 months ago

    While it is the right thing to do, continued cultural isolation of its people is exactly what the Taliban want

    • Zagorath
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      edit-2
      9 months ago

      Like many things, this is an area where Australians straddle the line between Britain and America.

      In America, an organisation is singular. It is one organisation, after all.

      In Britain, organisations are plural. They are made up of multiple people, after all.

      We go either way. Some might prefer “Australia has”, others prefer “Australia have”. Neither is wrong.

    • Zagorath
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      9 months ago

      The issue with playing Afghanistan in cricket is pretty black and white. It could be a stance against the sexism from the country’s government in general, or against their atrocities even more broadly, the latter of which would make it equivalent to Israel. But in fact, it’s far simpler than that. We will not play their men’s team unless they also have a professional women’s cricket team. Strictly speaking, without a women’s team, they are not even eligible to be a full member of the International Cricket Council.

    • NathA
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      9 months ago

      Play against Israel at what? It has probably happened at the Olympics or something, but I can’t think of any occasion where Australia and Israel have played each other at any sport. They’re on the far side of the planet, after all.

      As to Cricket, my old High School could probably beat whatever cricket team Israel has. It would be the most laughable token gesture ever for Cricket Australia to announce they won’t play Israel.

      • Zagorath
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        9 months ago

        at the Olympics or something

        And for what it’s worth, we also have played Afghanistan in tournaments.