Australia calls off T20 Series against Afghanistan

Australia has made the decision to withdraw from their men’s T20 series against Afghanistan in August due to ongoing concerns about the treatment of women and girls in the country under Taliban rule. This is the third cancellation in four years. 

The three-match series, initially slated to occur in the United Arab Emirates, has been called off as Cricket Australia (CA) cites government advisories indicating a deterioration in conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan.

This marks the third instance where Australia has opted not to play against Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control in 2021. Previous cancellations include a one-off Test match in September 2021 and a three-match men’s one-day series in March 2023.

Despite these cancellations, Australia will continue to face Afghanistan in tournaments following their victory by three wickets at the T20 Cricket World Cup last November. They would, however, not participate in a match organised by either of them in the near future. 

A statement released by Cricket Australia noted that the cancellation was due to consultation with the Australian government, who advised that the “conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan are getting worse.” 

They also emphasized their commitment to supporting women’s participation in cricket globally. Part of the statement read: “CA continues its strong commitment to supporting participation by women and girls in cricket around the world and will continue to actively engage the International Cricket Council and work closely with the Afghanistan Cricket Board to determine what actions could be taken to support the resumption of bilateral matches in the future.”

The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan has led to increased restrictions on women’s rights, including limitations on their ability to work and study. Girls are only permitted to attend primary school, while teenage girls and women are barred from higher education institutions. 

So far, Australia seems to be the only country taking such measures, which could be seen as a form of protest over the way the Taliban runs the country. It is unclear how the Taliban will respond to this or if they will at all. 

Leon Osamor