T20 International Home Series: A three-match T20 International home series between Cricket Australia and the men’s squad of Afghanistan was postponed on Tuesday due to the “worsening” situation for women and children in that nation in August.
Taliban Restrictions on Women
After regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban put limitations on female students attending high school, disallowed women from enrolling in institutions, and prohibited female Afghan humanitarian workers from working. CA is sticking to its hard line on the South Asian nation with its decision to postpone the next series. In November 2021, CA cancelled a one-time Test match against Afghanistan in Hobart. As a result, they also had to postpone a three-match ODI series in the United Arab Emirates.
Consultation with Australian Government
“Over the past twelve months, CA has continued to consult with the Australian Government on the situation in Afghanistan. The government’s advice is that conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan are getting worse,” read a statement from CA. “For this reason, we have maintained our previous position and will postpone the bilateral series against Afghanistan,” it added.
Absence from Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup
Because women are not allowed to play cricket in their country, Afghanistan was the only Full Member to be absent from the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa. Since the Taliban seized power in September 2021 and imposed limitations on women’s engagement in sports, CA has declined to play Afghanistan three times.
“…(we) will continue to actively engage the International Cricket Council and work closely with the Afghanistan Cricket Board to determine what actions could be taken to support the resumption of bilateral matches in the future,” the statement added.
