The England women’s team, led by skipper Heather Knight, will be touring Australia for the upcoming blockbuster, fierce face-off between the arch-rivals for the 8th edition of the multi-format Women’s Ashes from 12th January 2025 (Sunday). The series will include a three-match ODI series, followed by a three-match T20I series, and then a one-off Pink Ball Test match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Stadium (MCG) from 30th January 2025 (Thursday).
The hot topic, and rightly so, in cricket circles is Afghanistan, and it has also found mention in the lead-up to the Women’s Ashes, with England captain Heather Knight voicing her support for the ‘forgotten’ Afghanistan women’s cricket team, which is currently in exile in Australia. It is understood that Knight is also scheduled to meet a few of those Afghan players when the Women’s Ashes series moves to Melbourne for the second ODI.
“I think it’s really good that it’s being talked about. Obviously, the situation in Afghanistan is heart-breaking. It’s a complex issue but I think as much as we can publicise the fact that the women’s team are playing out here, we should give those girls a voice because it’s a remarkable story that they’re actually here. They managed to get out of an extremely dire situation. I think those girls have been forgotten a lot. That is my honest opinion, which is a really sad thing” expressed Heather Knight.
Notably, the England Cricket Board received calls from politicians in the United Kingdom to boycott their game against Afghanistan in the upcoming edition of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy. Another open letter to the Cricket South Africa CEO Pholetsi Moseki from the former UK Cabinet Minister Peter Hain has given rise to debates about playing against Afghanistan. Australia on the other hand, have already taken a stand of not participating in a bilateral series with Afghanistan.
The Taliban forces launched a scathing attack on the country and took political control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Since then, the situation has been only getting worse for women to survive in their homeland, with almost all their rights and their freedom being snatched away from them. In another devastating blow, women in the country have been prohibited from speaking in public, while also stating that they must not be heard singing or reading aloud even inside their homes.
The Afghanistan women’s team was first formed in 2010, and they were awarded their first-ever central contracts in November 2020. The contracts were given to 25 players in their bid to form a solid team to be able to compete in ICC tournaments. After the Taliban attacked the country, the Afghanistan women’s team left the country seeking refuge in Pakistan and were eventually granted emergency visas from Australia to reside in the country.
The players have formed their base in Melbourne and Canberra. The players from the Afghanistan women’s team have been training in their adopted country Australia, since their arrival.
A few from the group of women practicing in the country are set to represent the Afghanistan Women’s XI against the Cricket Without Borders XI in a T20 Match at the Junction Oval, in Melbourne on 30th January 2025.
(Quote sourced from BBC Sport)
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