By Mehr Jan
In a decision that draws long -standing attention to forgotten athletes, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced a working group to support Afghan cricket players who have been forced to flee their country.
These women, formerly contracted by Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), had been left without any support from the return of the Taliban to power in 2021.
The new initiative is launched in partnership with the Cricket Control Council in India (BCCI), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia (CA).
It includes financial assistance, access to training facilities, coaching and mentorship to help these cricket players continue their careers, even if far from their home.
Years of silence, then a sudden change
For more than two years, these players – now through Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada – have written on the ICC, asking for help and recognition. They even asked to be recognized as a refugee team. None of their calls received an answer. Thus, when the ICC suddenly announced this new support, the cricket players themselves were caught off guard.
The quarter of work may have been influenced by the next Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, where the cricket will return after 128 years.
The International Olympic Committee requires that all sports will meet gender equality standards. This means that cricket planks around the world must show that they support men and women as well – or the consequences.
“Each cricket player deserves a chance, whatever their situation,” said CPI president Jay Shah in the official declaration. “We are proud to launch this working group and this support system to help Afghan cricket players stay in the game.”
Even with this new initiative, players are not officially recognized as a national team. Indeed, under the ICC rules, only ACB can approve their status.
The ACB, which has not restarted female cricket since 2021, has neither supported nor blocked the plan of the ICC. As a result, these women remain in a kind of limbo – affected but not officially recognized.
This impasse lasted until last weekend, when the CPI female cricket committee was put for a new plan – and passed it.
Now, the new working group will examine practical details like where training camps can take place and how the matches could be organized. However, there is still no clear path for these players to represent Afghanistan – or any other team – on the international scene.
A basic thrust of Melbourne
The first real push for this movement did not come from cricket officials – he came from a short match in Melbourne. On January 30, an Afghan female took the ground against a local team called Cricket without borders. The game was emotional, symbolic and powerful. It reminded the world that these women still wanted to play.
This match also led to the creation of Pitch Our Future, a non -profit group working directly with these cricket players. The organization has already established a budget for the next three years, has launched fundraising campaigns and planned more games and training visits. Their goal is to keep sport alive for these athletes while establishing life skills and education in their program.
Pitch Our Future now shares a complete list of players with the ICC and work on how to deploy training, coaching and financing in the most efficient way.