Cricket Scotland ends bilateral ties with Afghanistan over women's rights concerns

Cricket Scotland has decided to not hold any fixtures against Afghanistan outside of ICC events due to the Taliban government's mistreatment of women and girls. Scotland and Afghanistan haven’t played an international match since the T20 World Cup 2021.

However, the two teams have locked horns in warm-up matches before the last two T20 World Cups in 2024 and 2026, respectively. Cricket Scotland launched a review of its relations with the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) following a request to use their training facilities in Scotland ahead of Afghanistan's tour of Ireland.

However, it was turned down due to it being a last-minute request and the unavailability of any venues. The review was also prompted in the aftermath of the ACB’s request for the availability of Scottish players for the planned Afghanistan Premier League T20 (APL).

Opening batter George Munsey was the only Scottish player signed in the APL draft. Cricket Scotland has confirmed that they will issue him a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) after the league gets sanctioned by the ICC. 

"Cricket Scotland will comply with its obligations as set out in its contracts with its players. If an NOC is issued, participation by the player/s must not be interpreted as an endorsement by Cricket Scotland of the current Afghan regime or its policies,” said Cricket Scotland in a statement.

In the statement, the board also said that Scotland would only play Afghanistan during the ICC events, including warm-up matches. It also mentioned that it would not hold any bilateral cricket relations with the cricketing nation unless there was a change in the circumstances surrounding Afghanistan women's cricket and wider human rights considerations.

Notably, Cricket Australia (CA) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also don’t hold bilateral ties with Afghanistan. 

ICC's plans for Afghanistan's refugee women's team

Afghanistan were awarded Full Member status by the ICC in 2017, despite not meeting the requirement to establish and fund a women’s national team and supporting development structures. Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, conditions for women and girls in the country have deteriorated dramatically.

The Afghanistan Refugee Women’s XI, based in Australia, toured England earlier this year during the Women’s T20 World Cup. The ICC has also established a roadmap that could pave the way for the team to participate in world events by 2030.