If Taliban ban women’s side should Australia play the men?

The Taliban has indicated approval for the Afghanistan cricket team to travel to Australia for a historic Test match in November, but the move highlights bigger issues for cricket.

Afghan cricketers resuming training in Kabul days after the Taliban stunning takeover of Afghanistan Picture: AFP

The Taliban has indicated approval for the Afghanistan male cricket team to travel to Australia for a historic Test match in November, but the move highlights bigger issues for cricket in the wake of the brutal regime’s coup.

There are grave concerns for the 25 contracted female cricketers trapped in the country.

Female soccer players were advised to burn any photographs, trophies or memorabilia and sporting organisations around the world are attempting to help female athletes many of whom have received death threats as the Taliban took over.

SBS confirmed with a member of the Taliban that there is no specific objection to the men’s side travelling to Australia for the game due to start on November 27 in Hobart.

The deputy head of the Taliban’s cultural commission Ahmadullah Wasiq told SBS Pashto that all previously organised matches “will continue without interruption, and (the Afghan team) can play with other international teams”.

“In the future, we want good relations with all countries,” he said.

“When good relations are established, Afghan players can go (to Australia) and they can come here.”

Australia was due to play Afghanistan in December 2020 but cancelled because of the pandemic.

Cricket Australia is continuing with plans to host the men’s side for the first Test of the summer.

“Cricket Australia’s planning for the historic first Test match between Australia and Afghanistan in Hobart is well underway,” a spokesperson said.

“There is goodwill between CA and the Afghanistan Cricket Board to make the match happen, which immediately follows the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE in which the Afghanistan team is due to play.

“CA will continue to work with the Australian and Tasmanian governments ahead of the Afghanistan team’s arrival planned for later this year.”

A Taliban government using cricket for a form of soft diplomacy while banning women is a looming issue for Australian and international cricket.

In 1971-72 then board chair Don Bradman called off the South African side’s tour of Australia as protest against that country’s apartheid regime.

Bradman did, however, invite members of the South African team to play in a World XI series which was convened as replacement.

To engage in bilateral series with a country whose government denies women a place in sport or society should trigger similar debates and calls for a similar stance to that taken with South Africa’s apartheid regime.

According to SBS, the Taliban representative, Wasiq, attended a player draft event for a domestic Twenty20 competition on August 26 to reassure the cricket community they could play without fear.

“Our ultimate goal was to reassure all our players, the cricket board officials and colleagues that they can continue their games without any fear or intimidation, and call on their colleagues to come and play with confidence, and to also get prepared for domestic and upcoming international games,” Wasiq said.

“(The players and cricket board officials) were very happy and assured that they would do their best.”

“Islam attaches great importance on health, and it is important that everyone should be healthy.”

The Taliban politician said it was important that cricketers wear clothing in accordance with Islamic law.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board attempted to resuscitate women’s cricket in that country when it contracted 25 players in November 2020.

ICC regulations require full members to have a national women’s team, but chief executive of the ACB Hamid Shinwari believes the Taliban will not allow the women to play.

“I think it will be stopped, that is my assumption,” he told the BBC. “I really don’t know what will be the position in the future.

“We have kept the salaries and they are on our payroll. If the government decides that we don’t go with the national women’s team, we will have to stop.”

Afghanistan has already abandoned a three-match ODI series against Pakistan because of logistic difficulties in the wake of the evacuation by America and its allies.

The 17-man squad had gathered in Kabul in mid-August but the board made the decision not to travel to the UAE for the series and rejected Pakistan’s offer to host it there.

Brisbane Heat announced on Thursday it had signed Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahmeen for his fourth BBL series.

The Taliban banned women from receiving an education or leaving the house unaccompanied by a male relative during its last period in government.