Cricket Australia said on Tuesday that the three-match T20 series scheduled for August of this year will be postponed due to the deteriorating human rights situation for women and girls in the country, which was a blow to the Afghanistan cricket team and its supporters. The Australian government, has advised that conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan have been deteriorating, the board has been consulted, statement said.
“For this reason, we have maintained our previous position and will postpone the bilateral series against Afghanistan,” statement. The Australian board has now refused to play against Afghanistan three times, the last occasion being in January 2023 when the Kangaroos withdrew from a three-match One-Day Internationals (ODI) series that was scheduled to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The board cited human rights concerns in each decision.
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Afghan players and fans were incensed by the Australian board’s decision to cancel the series, and they communicated their disappointment. Prior to that, the two teams also decided not to play the one-off Test match that was scheduled to take place in Hobart, Australia in 2021.
Cricket Australia has emphasized that it will “continue to actively engage the International Cricket Council (ICC) and work closely with the Afghanistan Cricket Board to determine what actions could be taken to support the resumption of bilateral matches in the future,” reiterating its support for the inclusion of women and girls in cricket worldwide. It is important to note that Australia has continued to play Afghanistan in ICC competitions despite their refusal to play bilateral matches; their exciting World Cup 2023 match was the most recent and memorable encounter.