ICC Investes in Growth of Afghanistan Women's Cricket Through Targeted Financial Support

• Afghanistan Women’s Cricket secures ICC backing for advance program initiative
• The support facilitates Afghan Women’s cricket to return to Global competition

The International Cricket Council has established a dedicated taskforce to bring targeted funding, elite coaching, and access to world-class facilities. In a statement released on Sunday, the ICC confirmed it has partnered with cricket governing bodies in Australia, India, and England to deliver structured assistance to Afghan women players currently operating in exile.

This marks the first high-level intervention aimed at supporting displaced Afghan women players in their path back to international competition. Jay Shah, Chairman of the ICC, reaffirmed the Council’s mission to promote equal opportunity within the sport, noting that ‘every cricketer deserves the platform to excel, regardless of their background.’. He stated that the support initiative aims to protect the professional futures of Afghan women players while showcasing cricket’s power as a cross-cultural, unifying institution.

With support from the Australian government, Melbourne hosted a January exhibition match featuring 21 displaced Afghan women cricketers, formerly contracted by the ACB, competing against a Cricket Without Borders XI.

In the wake of the Taliban’s return to power and subsequent restrictions on women’s sports, members of Afghanistan’s national women’s cricket team migrated to Australia in 2021. These athletes have consistently sought official recognition and backing to maintain their professional trajectory, while they have been actively involved in club-level competition across Australia.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board cannot support a national women’s team under existing Taliban-imposed laws banning female engagement in sports and education, drawing global criticism from bodies such as the International Criminal Court.