Majority of Brits back England cricket boycott of Afghanistan match
The majority of Brits have backed calls for England to boycott upcoming cricket matches against Afghanistan in protest of the Taliban’s gender apartheid.
Research from YouGov shows just 14 per cent of Brits say England should continue matches against the nation, with the two teams scheduled to play each other in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan next month.
Over 50 per cent backed calls to boycott games against Afghanistan given Taliban rule has imposed strict limitations on the rights of women and girls.
Downing Street has asked the International Cricket Council to support Afghan women while the England and Wales Cricket Board chief Richard Gould said he would “actively advocate” collective action from member unions.
The foreign minister of India, one of cricket’s biggest players, met Taliban representatives in Dubai this week.
Further calls for a boycott were made on Wednesday at Prime Minister’s Questions, where Labour backbencher Tonia Antoniazzi asked for support from Sir Keir Starmer following her letter to the ECB, which was backed by 160 politicians across both the commons and lords, called for action.
The Afghanistan women’s team has not been able to play cricket since the return of the Taliban, while the men’s team have faced boycotts from the likes of Australia.
“I wrote to the England and Wales Cricket Board regarding the upcoming game against Afghanistan on 26 February, and the [Champions Trophy],” Antoniazzi said. “I have met with the ECB, and we [MPs] are calling for the game to be boycotted. I thank everybody for the support that I have had across this House and in the other place.
“I also thank the Prime Minister very much for his intervention with the International Cricket Council [on Tuesday], but will he please agree to meet his counterparts in South Africa and Australia, and ask them to boycott the games as well?”
In response, the Prime Minister said: “There has been an appalling erosion of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. We should all condemn that suppression of freedoms in the strongest terms.
“That is why we have provided additional aid, at least 50 per cent of which will go to women and girls.
“The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in touch with our international counterparts on this issue. I welcome the England and Wales Cricket Board making strong representations to the International Cricket Council on Afghanistan’s women’s cricket team.”
Former England cricketer Jonathan Trott is the Afghanistan men’s head coach.