Cricket Australia fends off accusations of virtue signalling over bilateral games vs. Afghanistan

Incoming CA boss Todd Greenberg has already been forced on the back foot by a former ICC chair unloading on Australia’s decision to boycott playing Afghanistan, but chair Mike Baird has backed the boycott.

Cricket Australia has defended its position to play Afghanistan in the wake of stinging criticism from the outgoing ICC chairman, who accused Australia of virtue signalling on the issue.

The response came as incoming CA chief executive Todd Greenberg conceded the organisation had work to do to improve its relationship with fans.

Greenberg, the former NRL chief executive and soon-to-be ex-chief of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, was unveiled in his new post at Adelaide Oval on Thursday. Greenberg will take over from Nick Hockley in March.

CA chair Mike Baird, who was speaking alongside Greenberg, was drawn on comments made by recently departed ICC chair Greg Barclay.

In an explosive interview with the UK’s Telegraph, Barclay took aim at Australia over its stance of refusing to play Afghanistan in bilateral series but doing so in higher-stakes global events.

Rashid Khan celebrates taking a wicket in a Test against Bangladesh.

CA took the position in 2021 after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, which severely limited the rights of women and girls.

“If you really want to make a political statement, don’t play them in a World Cup,” Barclay said.

“Sure, it might cost you a semi-final place, but principles are principles. It’s not about having half a principle.

“It is not the Afghanistan board’s fault. They used to have women’s cricket.

“I think our approach has been right. It would be easy to kick Afghanistan out but their board haven’t done anything wrong. They’re just working under a decree and a series of laws that says this is what you have to do.

“I don’t think it would make a jot of difference to the ruling party there to kick them out.

“Maybe I’m a little naive but I think cricket is such a force for good there and it brings a lot of joy to a lot of people.

“It is better to leave it there and hope that it can foster a bit of a change.

“It’s a real feel-good story – a sport that was played in the refugee camps 25 years ago and now they have played in a World Cup semi-final. Do you really want to turn the tap off?”

Baird said Barclay had never aired those views with him and in any case he was comfortable with CA’s position on the issue.

He pointed to the governing body’s support of Afghan women’s players in Australia.

“I saw those comments this morning and I hadn’t heard those views before in kind of any forum,” Baird said.

“So he’s entitled to his view and he’s going on to new things and we wish him well on that but we’re very proud of the position we’ve taken.

“We’re supporting the Afghan women’s cricket team and those members that are still here, and we’ll be doing that at the end of summer (hosting a match in Melbourne late next month).

“I think it’s important in any game that has women as a key driver, strategic driver ... they need to actually walk that. So from our point of view, that’s the position we’ve taken.

Newly appointed CA CEO Todd Greenberg. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images for Cricket Australia.

“People have different views but we’re very comfortable with the position we’ve taken.”

Greenberg said that while he would seek to fade into the background until Hockley finished up, he would take a more public-facing role once he took over.

He suggested that the game’s fans had not been communicated to with sufficient clarity in recent times as the sport rapidly evolved.

“I think (our relationship with fans has) got some real improvement to make and I think the improvement starts with just communication,” Greenberg said.

“I’m going to be talking to you probably more often than maybe you might want because my communication with fans is through you (media), and so unashamedly that’s how I will see the media is my opportunity to talk directly to the fans.

“And so we want to communicate strongly. We want to explain the reasons why we might do certain things. And again, that might polarise opinion.

“Sometimes people might not agree and that’s cool, that’s OK, but I think it starts from the premise of being really strong communicators.

“You’ve got one of the best in the business as the chair and I’m going to hope to sort of support him on that.”