Three English cricketers, including Test star Ollie Pope, have withdrawn their names from the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) draft due to concerns over the Taliban's treatment of women. David Willey and Will Smeed are the other two players who have pulled out of the tournament.
This move comes as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has maintained a firm stance, refusing to play any bilateral cricket with Afghanistan since the Taliban regained power in August 2021. The ECB has been vocal in its criticism of the restrictions imposed on women and girls in the country.
Last year, ECB chair Richard Thompson explicitly condemned the situation, labeling the Taliban's policies towards women as "gender apartheid." This statement highlighted the growing international condemnation of the regime's human rights record, particularly concerning women.
The withdrawal of the three English players adds to the pressure on the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) to address the status of women's cricket and its relationship with the Taliban government. The APL is a significant domestic tournament for Afghanistan, and the absence of international stars could impact its prestige and viewership.
Since the Taliban's takeover, women's cricket in Afghanistan has been completely dismantled, and girls have been banned from sports and education. This directly contravenes the regulations of the International Cricket Council (ICC), which require full member nations to have a functioning national women's team.
Despite this, the ICC has so far refrained from suspending Afghanistan's membership, opting for a strategy of engagement—a decision that has drawn criticism from human rights activists and female athletes. The decision by Pope, Willey, and Smeed is likely to reignite the debate over Afghanistan's place in international cricket.
Source: Sports media
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