Hobart Test match in doubt following Taliban’s disgusting ban

The historic Test match between Australia and Afghanistan is on the verge of being cancelled following the Taliban’s cricket ban.

Cricket Australia will make the decision not host Afghanistan for the proposed Test match in Hobart if women’s cricket is not supported by the Asian nation.

Scheduled to start on November 27 at Hobart’s Blundstone Arena, the historic Test match is on the verge of being cancelled after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan last month.

The regime has reportedly banned women from sport, with the deputy head of the Taliban’s cultural commission, Ahmadullah Wasiq, telling SBS News that it is “unnecessary” for women to play cricket.

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“In cricket, they might face a situation where their face and body will not be covered. Islam does not allow women to be seen like this,” Wasiq told SBS News.

“It is the media era, and there will be photos and videos, and then people watch it. Islam and the Islamic Emirate do not allow women to play cricket or play the kind of sports where they get exposed.

“In cricket and other sports, women will not get an Islamic dress code. It is obvious that they will get exposed and will not follow the dress code, and Islam does not allow that.”

In response, CA has claimed it would have “no alternative” but to scrap the one-off Test match if the bombshell reports are accurate.

“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,” the statement read.

“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.”

Australia has never faced Afghanistan in Test cricket. Photo by Patrick HAMILTON / AFP

The Australian Cricketers‘ Association released a statement soon after, unequivocally endorsing CA’s decision.

“What is happening now in Afghanistan is a human rights issue that transcends the game of cricket,” the statement read.

“And while we would love to see players such as Rashid Khan play against Australia, hosting this Test match cannot be considered if that same opportunity to play the game is denied to Roya Samim and her teammates.”

Overnight, several Australian politicians called for the Hobart Test match to be abandoned, including Sports Minister Richard Colbeck, who said “excluding women from sport at any level is unacceptable”.

“The Taliban’s attitudes towards women and their individual rights should not be accepted by the international sporting community,” Colbeck said as reported by ABC’s Henry Belot.

Federal MP Andrew Hastie, a former SAS troop commander who fought in Afghanistan, told Sky News on Thursday: “I do not want that cricket match to go ahead. We lost good soldiers in Afghanistan.”

On Wednesday, CA chief executive Nick 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.

“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.”

Bad but predictable news. Hobart Test against Afghanistan looks certain to be cancelled. pic.twitter.com/LgF3d6Tqso

— Peter Lalor (@plalor) September 9, 2021

In 2017, Afghanistan became 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 announced their first contracts for women as they looked to build a team.

But Afghanistan now runs the risk of having its full member status removed, with the ICC confirming the Taliban’s reported ban would be discussed in near future.

“Despite the cultural and religious challenges in Afghanistan, steady progress had been made in this area since Afghanistan’s admission as a full member in 2017,” a ICC spokesperson told SBS News.

“The ICC has been monitoring the changing situation in Afghanistan and is concerned to note recent media reports that women will 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.”

Cricket journalist Isabelle Westbury called for Afghanistan’s status as a full member to be withdrawn, claiming such action is the “only way change happens”.

“Afghanistan men’s team already only have Test status by virtue of an exemption, and a nod to them building a women’s team. There is no longer any building occurring,” she tweeted.

“Remind me how often international cricket was played in South Africa during apartheid. If we do not apply the same rules re discrimination uniformly to women as we do to race then we are further back than I could possibly have imagined.”

– with NCA NewsWire