Wed Jan 29 04:16:46 UTC 2025: ## Afghan Women Cricketers to Play Exhibition Match in Australia, Defying Taliban Ban

**Melbourne, Australia –** A team of Afghan women cricketers will play an exhibition match in Melbourne on January 30th, marking a powerful display of defiance against the Taliban regime’s ban on women’s sports. The match, pitting an Afghanistan Women’s XI against a Cricket Without Borders XI, reunites 21 former Afghan national team players who have been based in Australia since fleeing their homeland in 2021.

Captain Nahida Sapan and Firooza Amiri expressed gratitude to the Australian government and Cricket Australia for their support, stating the game represents not just a sporting event, but a “movement for change.” They described the immense personal sacrifices made to escape threats and continue their sporting careers. Sapan revealed past death threats from government officials.

Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley praised the players’ resilience and emphasized the importance of using the match to raise awareness of the plight of Afghan women. He highlighted Cricket Australia’s continued advocacy for change at the International Cricket Council (ICC) level, although acknowledging the complexity of the situation and the ongoing conflict between playing in ICC events against Afghanistan’s men’s team and boycotting bilateral series. While Australia and England refuse to play Afghanistan in bilateral series, they participate in ICC events. South Africa is considering a boycott. Hockley said the match will hopefully become an annual event to promote conversations and awareness.

The match serves as a stark reminder of the restrictions placed on women in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, where participation in sports, education, and healthcare is severely limited. Despite Afghanistan’s full membership in the ICC, which ideally requires a women’s team, the Taliban regime’s policies prevent this. Support for women’s rights has been expressed even by some members of Afghanistan’s men’s national cricket team. The exhibition match in Melbourne offers a powerful symbol of hope and resistance.

Read More