Afghanistan women request ICC to form refugee team in Australia
The women’s team was relinquished after the Taliban returned to power
Seventeen players of the Afghanistan women’s cricket team wrote a collective letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) requesting to form a refugee team in Australia.
The players, contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), did not demand to play under the ACB banner or to be called the national team but they asked the ICC to form a team that would allow them to "represent all Afghan women who dream of playing cricket but are unable to in Afghanistan".
The letter came days after Rashid Khan-led men's side made history by qualifying for the T20 World Cup semi-final for the first time.
“We, the formerly contracted players of the Afghanistan Women's team, are proud and excited by the achievements of Afghanistan at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup and wish to congratulate Rashid Khan and his team on reaching the semi-finals, the letter began.
“A profound sadness remains that we, as women, cannot represent our country like the male cricketers.
“As former Afghan Cricketers now living abroad, we are unable to represent the Afghanistan women's national team. We are asking the ICC to assist us in setting up a refugee team in Australia. It could be administered by the East Asian Cricket Office based at Cricket Australia. Through this team we aim to represent all Afghan women who dream of playing cricket but are unable to in Afghanistan.”
In 2020, the ACB expressed its desire to promote women's cricket in the country by agreeing to contract 25 players and sending them a tour to Oman. However, that never happened as the Taliban took over the country and banned girls from public places, including sports.
“Creating a team of Afghan refugees can give us a chance to play, coach and administer a cricket team without borders. The creation of this team will allow all Afghan women who want to represent their country to come together under one banner,” the letter added.
“Our goals in having a refugee team are to develop and showcase our talent, give hope to the women remaining in Afghanistan, and to draw attention to the challenges women of Afghanistan face.
“Like the Afghanistan men's team are afforded, we aim to compete at the highest levels. We want to recruit and train girls and women who love cricket, to show the world the talent of Afghan women and to demonstrate the great victories they can achieve if given a chance through the leadership and financial support of the ICC.
On behalf of the members of the former Afghanistan women's cricket team now based in Australia.”
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