Amid calls for boycott, ECB clears air on match against Afghanistan in CT 2025

Says England's men's team will play their scheduled ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 fixture against Afghanistan, scheduled on February 26 in Lahore

London: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that England’s men’s team will play their scheduled ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 fixture against Afghanistan, scheduled on February 26 in Lahore, despite growing calls for a boycott due to the severe oppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.

ECB Chair Richard Thompson acknowledged the widespread concerns over gender discrimination in Afghanistan and emphasised the importance of a coordinated international response rather than unilateral action.

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There have been increasing calls from various sections, including human rights activists and policymakers, for England to take a stand against Afghanistan’s participation in the Champions Trophy by refusing to play their scheduled match.

The concerns stem from the Taliban‘s ban on women’s cricket and broader restrictions on women’s rights, which the ECB has termed “gender apartheid.”

However, after careful deliberation, the ECB Board has decided that boycotting the fixture would not be the most effective way to address the issue. Instead, the board believes that a collective international effort from the cricketing community would have a greater impact.

“We remain of the view that a coordinated international response by the cricketing community is the appropriate way forward and will achieve more than any unilateral action by the ECB in boycotting this match,” Thompson stated.

He further pointed out that for many Afghan citizens, watching their cricket team play provides one of the few remaining sources of joy, underscoring the complexity of the situation.

While confirming England’s participation in the match, the ECB reaffirmed its commitment to supporting female Afghan cricketers who have been displaced due to the Taliban’s policies.