Sydney
CNN
—
Australia’s males’s cricket staff has withdrawn from a sequence of upcoming suits in opposition to Afghanistan in protest over the ruling Taliban’s restrictions on girls and women’ training and employment, Cricket Australia (CA) mentioned in a observation Thursday.
The groups had been scheduled to play 3 One Day International (ODI) video games within the United Arab Emirates in March, however CA determined to cancel the collection after “extensive consultation” with “several stakeholders including the Australian government,” the observation mentioned.
“CA is committed to supporting [and] growing the game for women and men around the world, including in Afghanistan, and will continue to engage with the Afghanistan Cricket Board in anticipation of improved conditions for women and girls in the country,” it added.
In December, the Taliban introduced the suspension of college training for all feminine scholars. The transfer adopted a choice in March to bar women from returning to secondary faculties, coming after months-long closures that have been in position for the reason that hardline Islamist team took over Afghanistan in August 2021.
Later that month, the Taliban ordered all native and global non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to forestall their feminine staff from coming to paintings, caution that non-compliance would end result within the revocation in their licenses.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) spoke back to CA’s determination on Thursday, describing it as “pathetic” and “an attempt to enter the realm of politics and politicize the sport.”
“By prioritizing political interests over the principles of fair play and sportsmanship, Cricket Australia is undermining the integrity of the game and damaging the relationship between the two nations,” the observation added.
“The decision to withdraw from playing the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan is unfair and unexpected and will have a negative impact on the development and growth of cricket in Afghanistan, as well as affect[ing] the love and passion of the Afghan nation for the game.”
The ACB mentioned it was once taking into consideration what motion to take at the subject, together with the potential of writing to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and “rethinking the participation of Afghan players” in Australia’s home Twenty20 festival, the Big Bash League (BBL).
The ACB observation adopted feedback from distinguished Afghan participant Rashid Khan.
Khan, who performed for the Adelaide Strikers on this yr’s BBL, accompanied a statement on Twitter with the phrases: “Keep politics out of it.”
“I am really disappointed to hear that Australia have pulled out of the series to play us in March,” Khan wrote.
“I take nice delight in representing my nation and we now have made nice development at the international level. This determination from CA units us again in that adventure.
“If playing vs Afghanistan is so uncomfortable for Australia then I wouldn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable with my presence in the BBL. Therefore I will be strongly considering my future in that competition.”
CA had in the past subsidized out of a proposed Test fit in opposition to Afghanistan because of be hosted in Tasmania in November 2021 over the Taliban’s ban on girls taking part in sports activities.
“Driving the growth of women’s cricket globally is incredibly important to Cricket Australia. Our vision for cricket is that it is a sport for all, and we support the game unequivocally for women at every level,” CA mentioned on the time.
Australia’s sports activities minister Anika Wells on Thursday mentioned Canberra helps Cricket Australia’s transfer.
“The Australian government welcomes Cricket Australia’s decision to withdraw from the upcoming men’s One Day International series against Afghanistan, following the Taliban’s increased suppression of women and girls’ rights,” she tweeted.
Although the Taliban again and again claimed it could offer protection to the rights of women and girls, the crowd has completed the other, stripping away the hard-won freedoms for which girls have fought tirelessly during the last twenty years.
The United Nations and no less than part a dozen main international assist teams have mentioned they’re briefly postponing their operations in Afghanistan following the ban on feminine NGO staff.
