England cricket captain Jos Buttler said Tuesday that he and his teammates sympathize with the plight of Afghan women and girls, expressing hope that sport can serve as a source of unity and inspiration.
“We feel for the women and girls of Afghanistan,” Buttler said. “Sport has the power to unite and give hope, and we hope this game can play a small role in that.”
England is set to face Afghanistan on Wednesday, Feb. 26, in a must-win group match to keep their tournament hopes alive. Some British lawmakers had previously called for a boycott of the match due to Afghanistan’s human rights record under the Taliban.
Calls for boycott rejected
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have severely restricted women’s rights, barring them from education and most jobs, limiting their movement, and enforcing strict dress codes.
Despite these concerns, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that the match would proceed following discussions with the UK government, the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the players. The ECB emphasized that cricket alone could not address Afghanistan’s broader political and human rights issues.
Afghanistan’s captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, said his team remained focused on the sport.
“We are sportsmen. Our responsibility is what happens on the field,” he said.
Afghan women’s cricket in exile
Afghanistan had 25 contracted women cricketers in 2020, but most of them have since resettled in Australia following the Taliban’s takeover.
The Taliban insist they respect women’s rights “in accordance with Islamic law and local customs” and have rejected external interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.