Cricket Scotland has announced the suspension of bilateral cricket matches with the Afghanistan men's national team in protest against Taliban restrictions on women and girls. According to the governing body, Scotland will now only compete against Afghanistan within official tournaments sanctioned by the International Cricket Council.
According to a statement issued by Cricket Scotland on Monday, the decision was driven by serious human rights concerns and the worsening conditions for Afghan women. The federation noted that ongoing policies implemented since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 have severely curtailed basic freedoms.
Since the Taliban took control in August 2021, women and girls have been banned from participating in sports, alongside widespread restrictions on their secondary and higher education and workplace employment. In response to international criticism, Taliban officials maintain that their actions comply with Islamic law and describe the matter as internal.
Cricket Scotland becomes the latest cricket board to take such a stance, following similar boycotts of bilateral fixtures by Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board. Afghanistan has been a full member of the International Cricket Council since 2017, but the absence of a women's national side has placed its standing under scrutiny.
The federation confirmed that the policy will be reviewed on an annual basis, or sooner if the International Cricket Council takes substantial action or if there is meaningful change inside Afghanistan. The two national teams have not played an official international fixture against each other since the Men's T20 World Cup in 2021, and the Afghanistan Cricket Board has not issued a statement yet.
Cricket Scotland also disclosed that the Afghanistan Cricket Board had requested access to Scottish training facilities in July and September for tour preparations and league activities. The governing body stated it remains committed to contractual obligations and issuing player clearances will not indicate endorsement of Taliban governance.
Source: Cricket Scotland
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