Cricket: Cricket Australia won’t play Test against Afghanistan if reports about the countries women’s program are right

The one-off Test between Australia and Afghanistan is lurching closer to being cancelled amid political pressure with Cricket Australia making a big call.

Cricket Australia has confirmed it would have “no alternative” other than to cancel the historic first Test against Afghanistan if the women’s program in the country is scrapped.

Pressure has building on CA and the International Cricket Council to act after the Taliban declared its ban on women’s sport.

The first-ever Test between the two nations is supposed to begin on November 27 in Hobart, but on Wednesday CA boss Nick Hockey conceded it was “an extremely challenging and complex situation” amid upheaval in Afghanistan.

On Thursday CA confirmed that if was able to confirm the new regime did not support women’s cricket, it could not play the men’s team in the Test match.

“Driving the growth of women’s cricket globally is incredibly important to Cricket Australia. Our vision for cricket is that it is a sport for all and we support the game unequivocally for women at every level,” a statement said.

“If recent media reports that women’s cricket will not be supported in Afghanistan are substantiated, Cricket Australia would have no alternative but to not host Afghanistan for the proposed Test Match due to be played in Hobart.

“We thank the Australian and Tasmanian Governments for their support on this important issue.”

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said earlier this week he had “very real concerns” about staging the Test match and would have to consult the local community after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan.

Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck has outlined his opposition to the match, conceding that whether it goes ahead is up to the International Cricket Council and CA.

Now federal MP Andrew Hastie, a former SAS troop commander who fought in Afghanistan, has declared he doesn’t want the game to go ahead.

“I do not want that cricket match to go ahead. We lost good soldiers in Afghanistan,” Hastie told Sky News on Thursday.

Colbeck also told ABC radio in Hobart that CA was well aware of the government’s position on the game.

“Ultimately, the sanctioning of a Test match is something that’s done by the ICC, and Cricket Australia are very prominent members of that organisation and they understand our views very clearly,” he said.

Colbeck said Afghan athletes would “remain welcome in Australia but not under the flag of the Taliban”.

Hockley has indicated his organisation would take its lead from the federal government and the ICC, which holds the power to revoke Afghanistan’s member status.

Tim Paine and the Australian Test team are supposed to play Afghanistan in November. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

In a statement the ICC said it was monitoring the changing situation in Afghanistan and was concerned about the media reports that women would no longer be allowed to play cricket.

“This and the impact it will have on the continued development of the game will be discussed by the ICC board at its next meeting,” the statement said.

The deputy head of the Taliban‘s cultural commission, Ahmadullah Wasiq, told SBS News on Wednesday that it wasn’t “necessary” for women to play cricket because ”they might face a situation where their face and body will not be covered. Islam does not allow women to be seen like this.”

Afghanistan is the only full member of the ICC to have received that status without having an operational women‘s team in place.

Last year the Afghanistan Cricket Board had announced their first contracts for women as they looked to build a team.

Hockley acknowledged the recent regime change in Afghanistan presented “an extremely challenging and complex situation”.

“What is absolutely unequivocal is our stance on cricket as a sport for all, driving gender equality,” Hockley told Melbourne radio station SEN on Wednesday.

“We want to see cricket for women and men thrive all around the world.

“The current situation is very new. International cricket is working to understand the implications, but it’s something we’ll continue to watch very closely.”