Afghanistan Women's Cricket Team Plays First Match in Exile After Taliban Ban

The team of exiled players reunites in Australia for a historic exhibition match, advocating for Afghan women's rights and global cricket support.

The Afghanistan Women's XI will play their first match since 2021 against Cricket Without Borders XI at Junction Oval in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday.
The team, consisting of 21 players who fled Afghanistan after the Taliban banned women's sports, aims to represent Afghan women denied basic rights.
Players and supporters view the match as a historic step toward advocating for education, sports, and opportunities for Afghan women under oppressive circumstances.
Cricket Australia and other organizations have provided significant support to the exiled players, with calls for the ICC to take stronger action to uphold its requirement for member nations to have women's teams.
Debates continue over whether boycotting Afghanistan's men's team is an effective strategy, with some players and officials advocating for collective global action rather than unilateral measures.