"Human Rights Are Not Politics": Cricket Australia's CEO Defends The Team's Decision To Withdraw From The Afghanistan Series

Updated - 13 Jan 2023, 04:55 PM

Cricket Australia. Photo Credit: Twitter.

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Nick Hockley, the chief executive of Cricket Australia, vehemently defended the decision to pull its men’s side out of a one-day international series against Afghanistan, citing women’s rights as the main justification, in spite of criticism from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and its players.

After women were denied admission to universities in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, Australia canceled the series.

Cricket Australia pulled out of the three-match series against the United Arab Emirates in March due to additional Taliban restrictions on women’s and girls’ access to school and jobs. This choice was made to show their support for gender equality and to show sympathy for people who were harmed by the restrictive regulations.

Spinner Rashid Khan tweeted that he was considering a future in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) while the ACB fiercely decried the decision as unfair and abhorrent “Cricket is the only hope for the nation. Let’s keep politics out of it.”

“It is clearly a very challenging and sad situation”: Cricket Australia

A decision banning women from enrolling in universities was issued by Afghanistan’s Taliban-run government last month. Aside from being denied access to parks and gyms, girls have been prohibited from attending high school since March.

Afghan women are now denied the chance to pursue higher education and the right to participate in leisure activities as a result of this restrictive practice, which has had a disastrous effect on their education and well-being.

“Basic human rights are not politics, It is clearly a very challenging and sad situation. We did not take this decision lightly and consulted widely including with our government” Cricket Australia’s Chief Executive, Nick Hockley said on Friday.

Cricket Australia Chief Nick Hockley (Image Credit: Twitter)

“We were hopeful of playing the series and have been in regular dialogue with the Afghanistan Cricket Board, however announcements by the Taliban in late November and late December led to our decision to withdraw from these games” Nick Hockley Added.

Afghanistan is the only ICC member without a women’s team.

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