England Confirms Champions Trophy Match Against Afghanistan Despite Boycott Calls

The ECB rejects unilateral action, emphasizing a coordinated international response to the Taliban's gender apartheid.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that England will play Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy on February 26 in Lahore.
Over 160 British MPs and peers had urged the ECB to boycott the match in protest of the Taliban regime's restrictions on women's rights, including a ban on female participation in sports.
ECB Chair Richard Thompson condemned the Taliban's actions as 'gender apartheid' but stated that collective action by the International Cricket Council (ICC) would be more effective than a unilateral boycott.
The ECB has pledged £100,000 to a global refugee cricket fund supporting Afghan women cricketers in exile and is advocating for the ICC to allocate resources to support these players and recognize a refugee women's cricket team.
The decision to play was influenced by the belief that cricket remains one of the few sources of joy for many ordinary Afghans, despite the ongoing oppression in the country.