Human Rights Watch has called upon the International Cricket Council (ICC) to suspend Afghanistan’s membership and ban the Taliban-led nation from participating in international cricket. The request was made via an email addressed to ICC Chair Jay Shah, dated 3rd February and publicly disclosed on 7th March. The email was titled: “Suspending the Afghanistan Cricket Board and Implementing a Human Rights Policy.”
Human Rights Watch, an independent international non-governmental organisation that researches and advocates against human rights violations, urged the ICC to take decisive action in response to Afghanistan’s ongoing restrictions on women and girls.
“We are writing at this time to urge the International Cricket Council (ICC) to suspend Taliban-run Afghanistan from ICC membership, and from participating in international cricket, until women and girls can once again participate in education and sport in the country,” the email stated.
The organisation also pressed the ICC to adopt a human rights policy in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The letter referenced ICC Chair Jay Shah’s pledge to “allocate more resources to women’s cricket” and “champion the ICC’s mission further by allocating more resources and attention to women’s cricket.”
Since regaining power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed increasingly stringent restrictions on women, barring them from education beyond the sixth grade, various forms of employment, and even fundamental freedoms such as movement and expression. Human Rights Watch contended that these restrictions violate numerous fundamental rights, including access to healthcare, livelihood, and even basic necessities such as food and water.
The email also pointed out that the ICC’s anti-discrimination policy asserts that cricket should be accessible to all participants, irrespective of gender, marital status, or maternity status. It further argued that the continued financial and logistical support provided to Afghanistan’s men’s team, despite the suspension of payments to the women’s team in 2021, contravenes the ICC’s own regulations.
“By not allowing women and girls to play cricket, and by refusing to establish a national team for them to compete internationally, the Afghanistan Cricket Board is failing to abide by this Anti-Discrimination Policy,” the letter stated.
Human Rights Watch also highlighted that cricket has been included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and that the Taliban’s outright ban on women’s participation in the sport is a direct violation of the Olympic Charter, which guarantees that “the practice of sport is a human right.”
Following the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan’s female cricketers were forced to flee the country, with most of them now residing in Australia. Prior to this, the Afghanistan Cricket Board had committed to offering central contracts to 25 women players.
In July last year, former members of Afghanistan’s women’s national team—no longer officially recognised by the Taliban-led administration—petitioned the ICC to acknowledge them as a refugee team. Some of these players later formed an Afghanistan Women’s XI, which played an exhibition match against a Cricket Without Borders XI at Melbourne’s Junction Oval in January.
The issue of Afghanistan’s participation in international cricket has been met with mixed reactions globally. Last year, a group of British MPs urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott their Champions Trophy fixture against Afghanistan. While the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer pressed the ICC to “deliver on their own rules,” England ultimately played the match, which Afghanistan won, eliminating the defending champions from the competition.
England and Australia have taken a cautious stance, declining to play Afghanistan in bilateral series but continuing to face them in ICC tournaments. ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould has called for a “coordinated, ICC-led response” rather than unilateral action by individual nations.
The question of banning or boycotting Afghanistan’s men’s team remains contentious. Some former women’s players, speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast, expressed opposition to a ban, citing the men’s team as a source of hope. However, they urged male players to do more to advocate for women’s rights.
Human Rights Watch has requested a formal response from the ICC, demanding clarity on several issues, including what measures the governing body is taking to develop a human rights policy, why the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has not been suspended, and whether the ICC is prepared to recognise the Afghanistan women’s team in exile by granting them financial and competitive opportunities.
The organisation also questioned what steps, if any, the ICC has taken to pressure the ACB to reintegrate women and girls into the sport and what financial or logistical support it plans to offer in this regard.
“The International Cricket Council should follow the example of other sporting bodies, such as the International Olympic Committee, by calling on the Taliban to allow Afghan women and girls to participate in sport and by committing to a robust human rights framework,” the letter concluded.
The ICC has yet to issue an official response.
Supplementary Context:
Since the Taliban’s takeover, Afghanistan has faced severe international scrutiny over its treatment of women. The ban on female education and participation in sports has sparked widespread criticism from governments, human rights organisations, and sports bodies worldwide.
The ICC’s handling of Afghanistan’s cricketing status could set a precedent for how international sports organisations address human rights concerns. While some nations have called for direct sanctions, others believe diplomatic engagement and internal advocacy could yield better long-term results.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s men’s team continues to rise in international cricket, having secured a historic victory over England in the recent ICC event. However, their success has been overshadowed by the ongoing human rights crisis, leaving the cricketing world at a crossroads regarding how to uphold the sport’s inclusive values while navigating complex political realities.