From success story to headache: ICC grapples with Afghanistan dilemma

NEW DELHI : After years of showcasing Afghanistan's remarkable rise as a success story, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is under pressure to crack the whip on its member nation, which has seen major curtailment of women's rights by the Taliban government.

England and South Africa have been urged to boycott next month's Champions Trophy matches against Afghanistan, whose maiden appearance in the men's 50-overs tournament as one of the world's top eight teams is a testament to their growth in recent years.

The rapid rise of their men's team has coincided with the disbanding of their women's squad even though that team never played any international match.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had 25 contracted women players in 2020 but most of them are now living in exile in Australia following the Taliban takeover of their country in August 2021.

The new rulers clamped down on the rights of women and girls, restricting their access to education and work, curbing their freedom of movement, and forcing them to cover their faces and bodies.

"Where's the hope for women that want to play sport, want to go to school, that want to be able to work? Where is the hope for them?" Tonia Antoniazzi, a Labour MP in the UK, told BBC.

"This is a bigger issue around sex-apartheid that I feel very strongly about."

While the English and the South African boards have ruled out boycotting Champions Trophy fixtures against Afghanistan, they placed the onus on the ICC to formulate a unified approach to the tricky issue.

The Dubai-headquartered governing body said it was on the task.

"We are committed to leveraging our influence constructively to support the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in fostering cricket development and ensuring playing