Women’s cricket in Afghanistan: Lack of progress ‘a concern’ for ICC

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Afghanistan`s persevering with loss of dedication to ladies’s cricket has subsequently come to be a “situation” for the ICC, as the worldwide frame prepares to level its first Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup later this week. Afghanistan are the simplest Full Member to now no longer be represented on the occasion in South Africa,

wherein sixteen groups are participating. Well over a yr after the Taliban got here to energy in Afghanistan, ladies’s cricket has now no longer made any headway in any respect withinside the united states and symptoms and symptoms are that it may not withinside the close to destiny, compelling the ICC to take in the problem at its subsequent board assembly in March.

The international governing frame had shaped a operating institution to check cricket in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover of the united states in 2021. The institution, chaired via way of means of the ICC deputy chair Imran Khwaja, met with Afghanistan authorities and cricket officers in November remaining yr, along with the Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen. The authorities reportedly reiterated its dedication to conform with the ICC constitution, along with agreeing in precept to guide the improvement of ladies’s cricket.

But in truth not anything has been accomplished to inspire ladies to choose up the game, even if they made a proper attempt to extend their home shape and take cricket to new regions. There are six tournaments throughout all codecs for men’s cricket, from age institution to senior level. But as but, there was no funding in ladies’s cricket, and Afghanistan is the simplest cricketing country to have Full Member repute with out pleasing one in all its fundamental requirements: a totally operational ladies’s group.

And potentialities have come to be bleaker currently, after the Taliban regime ordered an indefinite ban on college schooling for ladies, which, in line with the ICC CEO Geoff Allardice, is concerning.

Obviously, the current developments [banning higher education for girls] in Afghanistan are concerning,” Allardice stated at some stage in a digital press conference. “Our board has been tracking development for the reason that extrade of regime. It is a situation that development isn’t being made in Afghanistan and it is some thing our board will don’t forget at its subsequent assembly in March. As a long way as we’re aware, there isn’t always interest on the moment.”

Since the Taliban took over, many ladies have fled – or sought to leave – the united states. A quantity of ladies had been operating withinside the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) headquarters in Kabul, however are not getting into the office. Several have reportedly long past overseas.

Women’s cricket in Afghanistan has continually been a burning trouble and I do not see there may be an answer proper now,” Asad Ullah, till currently a director with the ACB, instructed ESPNcricinfo. “There can be a cultural assignment and we infrequently have a pool of gamers withinside the united states. In fact, there has by no means been a ladies’s group even earlier than the Taliban got here into energy. There had been a handful of ladies gambling cricket inside their domestic as a leisure interest. It by no means made it onto the sector due to the fact there has been no actual motive or platform.

There hasn’t been any hobby in any respect. Definitely they could play, in the event that they need to, however in Afghanistan, it turned into now no longer an choice for ladies. There is a huge quantity of ladies who left the united states questioning that they may not have the liberty to play sports activities.

But are they gambling sports activities in Australia or elsewhere? I do not assume so. They left for a higher destiny that’s their proper however cricket amongst ladies in Afghanistan hasn’t been famous besides and it hasn’t been recommended either.

It is essentially due to the dearth of reputation approximately ladies going out. ICC must apprehend the dynamics withinside the united states and it is now no longer some thing they could implement and authorities can put into effect at once.

It takes time. Every united states operates inside their very own law. There are sure matters that are not open as in western society.”ESPNcricinfo has written to the ACB looking for its legitimate stance on ladies’s cricket however has now no longer but obtained a response.