Afghanistan Cricket Board launches an attack on Cricket Australia after the latter opts out of another bilateral commitment

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has hit out at Cricket Australia (CA) for postponing this year’s T20I series between Australia and Afghanistan. On Tuesday (March 19), CA announced the postponement of the series, citing deteriorating human rights conditions for women and girls under Taliban rule.

Australia and Afghanistan were set to lock horns in a three-match T20I series against each other in August later this year. The series was due to be hosted in the Afghan country and was likely to take place in the UAE. However, CA decided to postpone the series while expressing concerns over the human rights violations in the Afghan country.

This is the third time CA has postponed a series against the Asian country since the Taliban seized control of the nation in 2021. CA has been very vocal in condemning the human rights violations in the country in recent times. Previously, Australia had cancelled a one-off Test match against the same opposition in 2021. Last year, they also decided against playing a three-match ODI series against Rashid Khan & Co.

ACB slams CA after postponement of Afghanistan vs Australia T20Is:

ACB have slammed their Australian counterparts for postponing the series and has asked them to “not succumb” to pressures from their government. Expressing their disappointment over the call from CA, ACB in a media release stated:

“The Afghanistan Cricket Board expresses disappointment over Cricket Australia’s decision to postpone yet another bilateral series against Afghanistan and reiterates its stance on neutral and politics-free cricket across the globe.

“ACB advocates for keeping cricket distinct from political influence, considering the game’s significance in Afghanistan and its connection to the happiness and joy of the Afghan nation.

“ACB acknowledges the pressures faced by Cricket Australia from the Australian government and emphasises the importance of addressing such issues through collaborative efforts between the two cricket boards.

“ACB expresses disappointment over CA’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan for the third time,” the board said in the letter.

ACB further reminded CA about its actions in the past when it cancelled two series against the Afghan country. The ACB urged the CA to ‘respect and understand its position as a full member nation’ and also asked them to look for alternative solutions instead of cancelling or postponing the series.

“This recent withdrawal follows Cricket Australia’s previous actions, including withdrawing from a one-off Test match against Afghanistan in 2021 and refusing to play Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series in March 2023 due to government influence.

“ACB urges Cricket Australia to respect and understand its position as a Full Member nation and look for alternative solutions rather than succumbing to external pressures and/or political influences,” stated the ACB.