- Afghanistan’s exiled women’s team to tour England in June
- Will then be in the crowd for the T20 World Cup Final at Lord’s
- Tour will include training opportunities and T20 matches
Afghanistan’s exiled women’s cricket team will tour England during the T20 World Cup, before joining the crowd for the Final at Lord’s.
The Afghan Refugee Women’s team will start their tour on June 22. It will include training opportunities and T20 matches, hosted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It is supported by the MCC and MCC Foundation, and the sports consultancy ‘It’s Game On.’
In November 2020, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) held trials for women cricketers in Kabul. After those trials, they agreed to contract 25 women players. However, just nine months later, the takeover by the Taliban meant that girls and women were banned from most areas of public life, including sport.
Committed to playing cricket
Despite their displacement, a number of the players remained committed to playing cricket, and this latest trip will give them a chance to compete together as a team while raising awareness of their plight.
The majority of cricketers now live in Australia. Their efforts to be recognised by the ICC as the Afghanistan women’s team while in exile have failed so far. However, they played as an Afghanistan Women’s XI against a Cricket Without Borders side during the 2025 Women’s Ashes. The women also attended last year’s 50-over World Cup in India as spectators, and took part in coaching sessions at the VVS Laxman-led BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
“Extraordinary courage and committment”
Former Australian player turned commentator, Mel Jones said the tour was a step forward. However, it also highlights the amount of work yet to be done in supporting displaced and underrepresented female athletes.
Jones, who set up ‘It’s Game On’ with Emma Staples, Cricket Victoria’s Head of Diversity, as well as consultant Dr Catherine Ordway. She said:
“These players have shown extraordinary courage and commitment to the game, despite everything that has been taken from them. They deserve more opportunities like this; they deserve to be recognised as parr of the global cricket community. Moments like this matter, but we need to see plans for sustained and meaningful action beyond this year.”
The ECB Deputy CEO and Managing Director of England Women, Clare Connor said:
“Since being displaced from Afghanistan in 2021, these players have shown extraordinary resilience in continuing their cricket journeys, in incredibly challenging circumstances. Cricket has a responsibility to stand for inclusion and opportunity, and we are proud to be hosting this tour and supporting the players in deepening their connection to the game.”
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