Joe Root set to boycott match against Afghanistan? England great breaks silence

Joe Root opened up about the calls to boycott their Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s oppression of women. Root stated that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and captain Jos Buttler feel that boycotting this game is not going to make any positive impact.

There have been calls for England to boycott their ICC Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan, set to take place on February 26 in Lahore. The demand stems from the Taliban’s suppression of women's rights, including the ban on women participating in sports since their return to power in 2021.

Cricket Brings Hope, Hopefully the Two Teams Can Do That - Joe Root

Joe Root stated that the ECB, Jos Buttler, and officials consulted experts before deciding that a boycott would not have a positive impact. He acknowledged the difficult situation in Afghanistan but emphasized that cricket brings joy and hope to many in the country.

“[Key, the ECB and Buttler] all spoke with experts on the ground and don’t see that boycotting this game is going to make any sort of positive impact," Joe Root said.

“Clearly there’s things over there that are hard to hear and read up on but cricket is such a source of joy for so many ­people. For a number of ­people within Afghanistan, cricket gives them hope, gives them joy. Hopefully the two teams can do that in this next fixture," he added.

“From our point of view, we’re playing and we’ve got to make sure that we put our best foot forward, play our best cricket and find ourselves on the right side of the result.”

“Don’t see boycotting this game is going to make any positive impact”@root66 speaking ahead of England’s #ChampionsTrophy game against Afghanistan. #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/rDdRXLmXXY

— Test Match Special (@bbctms) February 24, 2025

Afghanistan is the only ICC full-member nation without a functioning women's cricket team, as the Taliban have prohibited female participation in international cricket.

We Can't Look Ahead of That - Joe Root

Joe Root emphasized that England's focus is on their next match rather than looking too far ahead. He said that the team wants to stay present, prepare well for the upcoming game, and carry forward the confidence gained from strong batting performances.

"The next game is the focus, really. We can't look ahead of that. As cliché as it is, you've got to look after what's right in front of you, prepare as well as you can for what's up next, and take all that good stuff and the confidence from some brilliant batting in particular into the next game."

England Must Win Their Remaining Two Matches to Secure Semi-Finals Berth

England must win their remaining two matches to secure a spot in the semi-finals. They are expected to bring in Jamie Overton as a replacement for the injured Brydon Carse in their clash against Afghanistan.

Carse was ruled out of the tournament due to a toe injury. The ECB has named 20-year-old leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed as his replacement, but he will not arrive in time for the crucial game against Afghanistan on February 26.

England and Afghanistan have faced each other three times in ODIs, with Afghanistan securing a stunning 69-run victory in their most recent encounter at the 2023 World Cup.

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