The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has responded to calls from British politicians to boycott Afghanistan in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. A group of more than 160 politicians urged the ECB to take a stand against Afghanistan’s treatment of women under the Taliban regime.
In a letter led by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, the politicians called for England to boycott their match against Afghanistan, scheduled for February 26, 2025, in Lahore, Pakistan. The letter criticized the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan and urged the ECB to take a firm stance.
The letter read, “We strongly urge the England men’s team players and officials to speak out against the horrific treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban.” It also called for a boycott of the match to send a message that such human rights abuses will not be tolerated.
In response, ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould stated that England could not unilaterally boycott the game without a consensus within the International Cricket Council (ICC). He emphasized that the ECB condemns the treatment of women in Afghanistan but noted that ICC’s constitution requires all member nations to support the growth and development of women’s cricket.
While Gould confirmed that England has not scheduled any bilateral matches with Afghanistan since the Taliban took control in 2021, he emphasized that a coordinated approach within the ICC would be more impactful than individual actions by member nations.
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