The Afghan Refugee Women’s Team begin their landmark England tour on Monday, 22 June, with the ECB hosting the displaced squad during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup window.
The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed the programme will combine high-quality training opportunities with T20 matches, delivered with support from MCC, MCC Foundation and It’s Game On. The players are also due to attend the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s, giving the group a direct connection to the global tournament stage.
The tour matters because the squad is made up of Afghan women cricketers who were forced to leave the country after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. The ECB said many of the players have since resettled in Australia while trying to keep their cricketing ambitions alive.
ECB Tour Gives Afghan Players A World Cup Platform
Clare Connor, the ECB deputy chief executive and managing director of England Women, framed the tour as both a cricketing opportunity and a statement of support for inclusion in the sport.
According to the ECB’s announcement of the Afghan Refugee Women’s Team tour, the programme is designed to provide “enjoyable and memorable” experiences while helping the players deepen their connection to the game.
For ReadCricket readers, the timing is the key. The Women’s T20 World Cup is already putting women’s cricket in front of a global audience, and this tour gives Afghan players who have been denied a home pathway a visible, meaningful place around the event.
