ECB Stands Firm Amid Growing Calls for Boycott: England Set to Face Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy 2025 Despite Controversy

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that England’s men’s team will go ahead with their scheduled match against Afghanistan at the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 on February 26 in Lahore. This decision comes despite increasing calls from human rights groups and activists urging a boycott in protest against the Taliban’s severe oppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan.

The move to play comes after mounting pressure for the ECB to take a stand against Afghanistan’s participation in the tournament, especially in light of the Taliban’s ban on women’s cricket and its broader restrictions on women’s freedoms. ECB Chair Richard Thompson addressed the concerns, calling the situation in Afghanistan "gender apartheid," but insisted that a collective international response would have a stronger impact than unilateral action like boycotting the match.

"We believe a coordinated international approach is the best course of action, as it will yield greater results than a solitary boycott," Thompson stated. He added that for many Afghan citizens, their cricket team remains one of the few sources of hope and joy, highlighting the complexity of the issue.

Although England will play their match as scheduled, the ECB has emphasized its commitment to supporting Afghan women cricketers who have been displaced due to the Taliban’s policies. In a bid to help, the ECB donated £100,000 to the Global Refugee Cricket Fund, which aids refugee cricketers, including those from Afghanistan.

Furthermore, the ECB is pushing for stronger action from the International Cricket Council (ICC), proposing initiatives such as creating a dedicated fund to support Afghan female cricketers in exile and establishing an Afghanistan Women’s Refugee Team to give displaced players a platform to continue competing globally.

Afghanistan women’s team Debut Cricket

The Afghanistan Women's Cricket Team has just made history by playing their first-ever match representing their country an exhibition match held last Thursday in Melbourne. "This hasn’t just been a game for all of us," team member Firooza Amiri shared from the grounds.

For Afghanistan's women cricketers, their first competitive match since escaping oppression in their home country represents a significant step in their sporting journey - although the path ahead may not be the one they envisaged before.