Boost for Afghan women cricketers chasing their dreams

Last week’s column ended with reference to my interviews with members of the Afghan women’s cricket team, which had been touring England. Since then, there have been developments in plans for their future.

After the International Cricket Council’s Annual Conference in Edinburgh between July 8 and 11, a road map was revealed which could see the team competing in international qualification pathways by 2030. A special taskforce has been reconstituted to oversee what promises to be a tricky and complex road ahead.

Previously, there has been criticism of the ICC not moving fast enough, or not at all, in dealing with the situation in which the women find themselves. Some of this criticism has come from the women themselves. One of them, Firooza Amiri, said in an interview published in February 2025: “Afghanistan doesn’t have a women's team and they are still giving the men’s team the chance to play, and funds. I am so angry. The ICC has never done anything for us. We just want to have a team to give hope to the millions of women in Afghanistan.” Harsh words, but understandable, given the challenges which the women have faced.

An Afghanistan women’s cricket team existed in the early 2010s but folded under social pressures. It was officially relaunched in 2020, when a talent camp led to 25 players being given contacts by the Afghanistan Cricket Board. In 2017, Afghanistan received ICC Full Member status, which allows it to play Test cricket. It also requires the fielding of a women’s team. Following the takeover of the country by The Taliban in August-September 2021, women’s rights have been eviscerated, their participation in sport banned and the women’s cricket team disbanded. Despite this, the ACB has retained full