Champions Trophy 2025: British politicians want England to boycott clash against Afghanistan in Lahore; here’s why

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been asked to boycott their match against Afghanistan in the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan, according to a letter signed by more than 160 politicians in the United Kingdom. In the letter, the politicians reasoned that the Taliban regime's assault on women's rights is the main agenda for their stand. England is scheduled to play Afghanistan in Lahore on February 26.

Since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, female participation in sports has been effectively stopped, a move that directly puts the Afghanistan Cricket Board in contravention of International Cricket Council (ICC) rules.

Since the ICC has allowed the Afghanistan men's cricket team to play cricket, the UK parliament has written to the ECB to make its own moral objection.

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Penned by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi and signed by a cross-party group from the House of Commons and House of Lords, including Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn, it raises the “insidious dystopia” unfolding in Afghanistan.

The statement, addressed to ECB chief executive Richard Gould, concludes: “We strongly urge the England men's team players and officials to speak out against the horrific treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban.

“We also urge the ECB to consider a boycott of the upcoming match against Afghanistan... to send a clear signal that such grotesque abuses will not be tolerated.

“We must stand against sex apartheid, and we implore the ECB to deliver a firm message of solidarity and hope to Afghan women and girls that their suffering has not been overlooked,” it said.

ECB responds swiftly Meanwhile, Gould responded swiftly and affirmed ECB principles, suggesting that all member nations adopt a uniform approach rather than acting alone. “The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime,” he said.

“The ICC constitution mandates that all member nations are committed to the growth and development of women's cricket. In line with this commitment, the ECB has maintained its position of not scheduling any bilateral cricket matches against Afghanistan.

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“A coordinated, ICC-wide approach would be significantly more impactful than unilateral actions by individual members.

“We understand the concerns raised by those who believe that a boycott of men's cricket could inadvertently support the Taliban's efforts to suppress freedoms and isolate Afghan society. It's crucial to recognise the importance of cricket as a source of hope and positivity for many Afghans, including those displaced from the country.”

At the 2003 Cricket World Cup, England forfeited a game against Zimbabwe in protest against Robert Mugabe's regime.

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