{"id":1049,"date":"2026-05-21T14:07:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T14:07:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1049"},"modified":"2026-05-21T14:07:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T14:07:12","slug":"afghan-womens-refugee-team-returning-to-international-cricket-after-taliban-exclusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1049","title":{"rendered":"Afghan women’s refugee team returning to international cricket after Taliban exclusion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Afghanistan\u2019s displaced female cricketers will tour England next month, a landmark moment on a five-year journey<\/a> to rebuild their careers and remain part of the game following their exclusion<\/a> from sports after the Taliban\u2019s return to power.<\/p>\n

Read more Sinner opens French Open against wild card as he chases a career Grand Slam<\/a><\/p>\n

The Afghanistan Refugee team will contain players who had been contracted to the Afghanistan Cricket Board and left the country after being \u201csystematically excluded from sport and public life\u201d by the Taliban<\/a> , the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Thursday in announcing the tour.<\/p>\n

It will begin on June 22 and include Twenty20 matches as well as opportunities to train and also attend the Women\u2019s T20 World Cup final at Lord\u2019s on July 5.<\/p>\n

The ECB said the tour \u201ccarries significant cultural and sporting importance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis tour represents not only an opportunity for them to compete as a team,\u201d the English governing body said, \u201cbut a moment for cricket in this country to stand for inclusion and the protection of women\u2019s participation in sport.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most of the Afghan players resettled in Australia, where they continued playing in domestic competitions but without access to international cricket, despite International Cricket Council regulations requiring all test-playing members to support men\u2019s and women\u2019s national teams.<\/p>\n

The women have repeatedly asked the ICC to reform<\/a> as a refugee team.<\/p>\n

Their reintegration to cricket has been supported by a consultancy firm \u2014 \u201cIt\u2019s Game On\u201d \u2014 co-founded by former Australia international Mel Jones.<\/p>\n

Read more Midfielder Hlo\u017eek returns from injury in Czech Republic\u2019s preliminary World Cup squad<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThese players have shown extraordinary courage and commitment to the game, despite everything that has been taken from them,\u201d Jones said in the ECB statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey deserve more opportunities like this; they deserve to be recognized as part of the global cricket community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones called for more plans for \u201csustained and meaningful action beyond this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clare Connor, the ECB deputy chief executive, said cricket had \u201ca responsibility to stand for inclusion and opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are proud to be hosting this tour,\u201d Connor said, \u201cand supporting the players in deepening their connection to the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Germany recalls veteran goalie Manuel Neuer out of retirement for World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

AP cricket: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/cricket<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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