This post was originally published on 3rd party site mentioned on the title ofthis site
NEW DELHI: New Zealand Cricket announced on Tuesday that they will proceed with a Test match against Afghanistan in September, just a month after Australia cancelled a Twenty20 series against the same team.
Cricket Australia had postponed the three-match series, which was scheduled to take place in August at a neutral venue, citing the deteriorating situation for women in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
This marks the third instance since 2021 that Australia has declined to play against Afghanistan outside of international tournaments. In contrast, New Zealand has confirmed that they will face Afghanistan in a one-off Test match at a yet-to-be-determined venue, as well as in their opening T20 World Cup match in the West Indies in June.
The decision to proceed with the matches was made by New Zealand Cricket after discussions at the board level and with the players’ association. “The consensus view was that a boycott in isolation would change nothing in Afghanistan,” said New Zealand Cricket spokesman Richard Boock. “It would be more constructive to keep dialogue and participation channels open, while continuing to advocate strongly for change.”
In recent years, cricket has experienced a surge in popularity within Afghanistan, fueled by the team’s victories over larger nations on the international stage. However, under the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic rule, women are effectively barred from participating in the sport.
Additionally, Afghanistan typically plays their “home” fixtures at neutral venues, primarily in the UAE.
Boock emphasized that “NZC strongly believes that cricket is a game for everyone and would like to see far greater support for the women’s game in Afghanistan in the short to medium term.”
(Inputs from AFP)
