Rashid Khan rebels against Taliban, demands Afghanistan back women’s cricket team
Published - 07 Feb 2026, 05:55 PM | Updated - 07 Feb 2026, 11:37 PM
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Rashid Khan supports women’s cricket in Afghanistan: Rashid Khan will be leading Afghanistan in the 2026 T20 World Cup. They were the semi-finalists of the previous edition of the competition. Afghanistan has been one of the most improved teams in world cricket. They have been defeating big teams in International Cricket Council (ICC) events in the last few years.
Afghanistan has been drawn alongside South Africa and New Zealand, which is possibly the group of death. They will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against New Zealand on February 8. Ahead of the game, Rashid Khan had a pre-match press conference where he talked about supporting women’s cricket in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan Women's Cricket still finds support
Afghanistan, which has been under the control of Talibans. Rashid Khan discussed the sensitive topic of women's cricket in Afghanistan, providing a rare opportunity for the people to know about his views in the face of mounting international criticism.
Afghanistan's standing in international cricket is still hampered by the fact that several Afghan women cricket players are currently exiled after escaping the Taliban government. He expressed his views on the importance of a full ICC membership and showcased pride in seeing their women’s team represent the country on any stage.
Rashid Khan backs the Afghan Women's Team
Rashid said in the pre-match press conference, "Women's team? Definitely. I feel that’s part of the criteria for being a full member. The ICC and the Afghanistan Cricket Board know best, but we love to see anyone representing Afghanistan on any stage. It’s a proud moment, and you’re representing your country."
In 2025, Afghanistan women's cricketer Firooza Amiri requested the men's squad to publicly support women in the conflict-affected country. She had the belief that the growing popularity of the men’s team would help them to grow women’s cricket in Afghanistan find a way forward.
The Afghanistan captain also mentioned the restrictions players face. He also pointed out that the decisions ultimately are taken by the Afghanistan Cricket Board and the ICC, not individual cricketers.
Rashid Khan concluded, saying, "But yes, ultimately the decision lies with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and the ICC. As players, we don’t have much control and can only focus on what we can influence. In this situation, there’s little we can decide, but our support is always there. The bigger decisions are made by those in charge, and they take it forward."
ICC takes initative to support
Last year, the apex body announced that Afghanistan’s refugee women’s team would be supported at the Women’s World Cup 2025 in India and Sri Lanka, and the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup in England. The decision was made during the ICC’s annual conference last July to support the Afghanistan women’s team, who left the country after the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
The initiative was led by ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja, collaborating with the BCCI, ECB, and Cricket Australia. The programme had training camps and matches against domestic teams. The refugee team had their presence during the opening match of the 2025 Women’s World Cup in Guwahati.
Also Read: Rashid Khan fires India and other teams savage T20 World Cup final warning
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