Australia said on Thursday that it would not participate in a scheduled one-day series against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates due to Taliban efforts to severely limit women’s rights.
The men’s team was slated to play three games against their Afghan counterparts as part of the ICC Super League in March after returning from a tour of India. Cricket Australia, however, announced that following talks with interested parties, including the Australian government, it will not proceed. The decision was made in response to the Taliban’s recent announcement of tighter restrictions on women’s and girls’ access to parks and gyms, as well as their possibilities for employment and education, according to the organization’s statement that was made public.
Cricket Australia is committed to supporting growing the game for women and men around the world, including in Afghanistan, and will continue to engage with the Afghanistan Cricket Board in anticipation of improved conditions for women and girls in the country. pic.twitter.com/cgQ2p21X2Q
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) January 12, 2023
“CA is dedicated to fostering the growth of the game for both men and women globally, particularly in Afghanistan. To better the lives of women and girls in the country, (we) will keep in contact with the Afghanistan Cricket Board, the statement continued, thanking Canberra for its assistance. Australian competition points that count toward World Cup qualification for the series will be lost by 30. The 50-over competition will be held in India in October, although they have already clinched automatic qualification. After taking back power in the Asian country in the middle of 2021, the Taliban quickly imposed limitations on female athletes.
Additionally, they forbade young girls from attending secondary schools, and this month they prohibited women from enrolling in colleges, igniting anger around the world. Recently, it was announced that women may no longer work in the charity industry in Afghanistan. In addition, numerous government positions have been eliminated for women, they are not allowed to travel alone without a male relative, and they are required to wear a burqa outside the house to cover up.
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