How Afghan Women Cricketers Defy Taliban?

Thu Jan 30 2025
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Key points

  • Afghanistan’s women cricketers have played their first match since fleeing country
  • Hundreds of women athletes fled Afghanistan after Taliban took over in 2021
  • Match can open doors for Afghan women in sport and education

MELBOURNE, Australia:  Afghanistan’s women cricketers on Thursday played their first game since fleeing the Taliban three years ago, a charity match in Australia that captain Nahida Sapan hoped would spark “a movement for change”.

Hundreds of women athletes fled Afghanistan as the Taliban took over in August 2021, escaping a hardline stance that essentially banned women’s sport and education.

Most of the national women’s cricket side settled as refugees in Australia, where they reunited for the first time on Thursday to play a charity match in Melbourne.

Change and promise

“Together, we’re building not just a team, we’re building a movement for change and promise,” Sapan said in the run-up to the game.

“We have big hopes for this match because this match can open doors for Afghan women, for education, sport, and in the future.”

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Of the 25 women once contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board, 22 are now settled in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Canberra.—Photo by AFP

The Afghanistan Cricket Board made a significant stride in November 2020 when it handed 25 promising women cricketers professional contracts.

But before the fledgling squad had a chance to play together, the Taliban captured capital Kabul and declared an end to women’s cricket.

“We have sacrificed a lot to be here today,” said cricketer Firooza Amiri after the match.

“The situation in Afghanistan is very terrible. Women don’t have their rights.

“I can live freely in Australia and live my life the way I want.

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Fans of the Afghanistan Women’s XI cheer in the stands. —Photo by AFP

“But back home in Afghanistan… I can only say it is very heartbreaking and very hard to live in that situation.”

Diana Barakzai, who helped found Afghanistan’s first women’s cricket program almost 20 years ago, said Thursday’s match was an “amazing moment”.

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“We have sacrificed a lot to be here today,” said Afghan cricketer Firooza Amiri after the match. —Photo by AFP

“I’m sure it’s a big message for the world, that the world will do something for Afghan women,” she told AFP.

“Especially for opening the school doors, opening up work for women.”

Of the 25 women once contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board, 22 are now settled in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Canberra.

Refugee team

Some of these players have urged the governing International Cricket Council (ICC) in the hopes of forming a refugee team with some kind of official status.

“A profound sadness remains that we, as women, cannot represent our country like the male cricketers,” some players wrote in a joint letter last year.

“The formation of this team will allow all Afghan women who want to represent their country to come together under one banner.”

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Thursday’s game was played at Melbourne’s Junction Oval, a storied ground where a young Shane Warne once plied his trade. —Photo by AFP

The council has so far ignored these calls. Thursday’s game was played at Melbourne’s Junction Oval, a storied ground where a young Shane Warne once plied his trade.

The Afghan side played an invitational outfit representing Cricket Without Borders, a charity which aims to draw young women into the game.

Governing body Cricket Australia threw its weight behind the match, pledging to “advocate” for the Afghan women’s side at the highest levels.

“I’m just so proud of everyone across Australian cricket who’s worked to support the players since they’ve been in Australia,” chief executive Nick Hockley said earlier this week.

Citing human rights concerns, Australia has in recent years boycotted a series of non-tournament fixtures against the Afghanistan men’s side.

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