The Governing Body of Cricket (ICC) has announced that it will create a dedicated task force to support Afghanistan’s women cricketers, which have been displaced by the Taliban regime. This news comes as a joyful surprise for many women who are struggling to represent their nation in the last three years.
“I could not describe my feelings when I heard the news,” Feroza Afghan told DW. “I can’t say that this is just three years. I think it is more than 20 years. When we were in front of us in Afghanistan and other women, they were fighting for this team since 2010. They were fighting for a team so that we could represent our country like other women from countries like Pakistan, India, Australia.”
Afghan said, “This is not only big news for us, this is big news for all Afghan women around the world.” “And I am confident that the women and girls of Afghanistan, they deserve the opportunity.”
Three years in exlie
Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, and women have since been stopped from most areas of public life including sports. This meant that women’s cricket was no longer recognized, so that the players of the national team were motivated to write the ICC, which would lead to recognition as a refugee team. Six months after receiving his contract to play cricket for his country, Afghan, like many of his companions, had to flee Australia.
The pressure of some major cricket nations governments on the ICC also called the ICC to suspend the membership of Afghanistan and ban the men’s team, which regularly compete with competition in the World Cup. There has been no action against the men’s team, nor was there any change in the country’s ICC membership, even though there is no women’s team in Afghanistan, which is required by ICC. Announcement in April is therefore a very big moment.
According to the ICC statement, the global game, ie India, England and Australia, in collaboration with the largest cricketing associations, form the task force, ie India, England and Australia, “to ensure that these cricketers need to continue the game to ensure that these cricketers need to continue the game,” according to the ICC Statement. “It will be complemented by a strong high performance program, which offers advanced coaching, world class features, and will suit them to help them reach their entire capacity.”
A return that sends a message
For the Afghan, this is the next step to tilt the latest development game back to their favor. The exiled women played their first game in more than three years in January – playing against cricket in Australia in Australia in a blue shirt, but without the flag or colors of the country – the team is set to return.
“This is not the end. We have just started,” said Afghan. “I think the female history of Afghanistan is now about to start again. I think you will come to a happy place because you know, if you look at the past, we were just fighting for it and we were trying to get our rights. But I hope that with this support from ICC, we can make history for all Afghan women.”
The influence of this news can be beyond the present group.
“Firstly when I was a child, I just watch men’s matches. And then I decided to play cricket and I just asked my mother: ‘Why is there no women’s team in Afghanistan?’ And he said: ‘Perhaps you, you girls can make it’, “said Afghan. “And I just want the new generation. That they want to play cricket and they can see other Afghanistan women and are encouraged to come and play.”
It is now expected that the ICC initiative can quickly turn into action and women of Afghanistan can represents their country again.
The interview was conducted by Janek Spite.
Edited by Matt Piercene.
