Afghanistan women’s team to take field after 2021 Taliban takeover
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Roshan Amiri - . January 29, 2025
- . Update: January 29, 2025 6:59 pm
Afghanistan women cricketers are set to reunite on the field for the first time in more than three years.
The Afghan women’s cricket team will play a Cricket Without Borders XI match at Melbourne’s Junction Oval on January 30, marking a historic moment in women’s cricket.
Hosted by Cricket Australia, this crucial game will be played on the eve of the only women’s Ashes test. The match is being viewed as a statement of resilience, courage, and the fight for women’s rights in Afghanistan.
It is the first time in three years that the women will play as a team since their migration to Australia after the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021.
Even after being banned from playing in Afghanistan, the Afghan women’s cricket team continued to compete in local club cricket. According to a CricToday report, captain Nahida Sapan and senior player Firooza Amiri expressed gratitude for the opportunities and thanked Cricket Australia and the Australian government for standing by them.
“We lost everything back home, yet here we are, together again,” Amiri said. “It’s very special for all of us to get back together after three years, leaving everything and losing everything back home in Afghanistan and come together again.”
“I also want to express my deepest gratitude for everyone who supports us. Your support means the world to us,” Sapan added, as per reports. “Together we are building not just a team. We are building a movement for change and improvement.
Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley also lauded praises for the team’s perseverance. “Seeing the Afghanistan women cricketers wear their team shirts again was an emotional moment,” he said.
Being a ICC (International Cricket Council) full member, Afghanistan is obligated to have a women’s side. However, under Taliban rule, the Afghanistan Cricket Board cannot field a national women’s team because the country’s laws forbid women from playing sports.
