Afghan Women Cricketers get official ICC backing with dedicated fund and robust high-performance programme.
Afghan Women to formally receive support from the ICC in their cricket journey.
According to the ICC, it will establish a “dedicated task force” to assist Afghan women cricket players who have been uprooted by the Taliban government.
The initiative, which is in partnership with the BCCI, ECB and CA, will include “a dedicated fund to provide direct monetary assistance, ensuring these cricketers have the resources they need to continue pursuing the game they love,” the ICC said in a statement on Sunday. “This will be complemented by a robust high-performance programme offering advanced coaching, world-class facilities, and tailored mentorship to help them reach their full potential.”
Jay Shah, the ICC chairman, said: “At the International Cricket Council, we are deeply committed to fostering inclusivity and ensuring every cricketer has the opportunity to shine, regardless of their circumstances. In collaboration with our valued partners, we are proud to launch this task force and support fund, complemented by a comprehensive high-performance programme, to ensure displaced Afghan women cricketers can continue their journey in the sport. This initiative reflects our steadfast dedication to cricket’s global growth and its power to inspire unity, resilience, and hope.”
Women have been compelled to abide by a growing number of restrictions that prohibit females from participating in most facets of public life, including sports, since the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan in 2021. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had just agreed to sign 25 female players, the most of whom are currently living in exile in Australia.
Former members of the Afghanistan women’s national team, who are no longer recognised as such by the Taliban government, wrote to the ICC in July of last year to request recognition as a refugee squad. An Afghanistan women’s squad faced a Cricket Without Borders side in a Twenty20 match in Melbourne in January of this year.