Afghanistan Is A Cricket Fairytale, But Women’s Team Uncertainty Hovers

Public revelry and an outpouring of euphoria is normally forbidden in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

But when the Afghanistan cricket team, a symbol of pride and a rare unifying force in the war-torn country, conjure something incredible, even the hardline Islamists allow exceptions.

People danced in the streets in Kabul and beyond in scenes of jubilation after Afghanistan qualified for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup having beaten Bangladesh.

The dramatic victory knocked out powerhouse Australia, who Afghanistan had beaten just days earlier as cricket’s fairytale added a new chapter. Suddenly Afghanistan are only two wins away from being world champions in – by some metrics – the second biggest sport on the planet.

Afghanistan will play South Africa in the semis, meaning there will be a first-time finalist at a cricket World Cup. It’s notable for a sport that has been far too elitist over the years, struggling to develop and properly put resources into countries beyond traditional footholds.

But the rise of Afghanistan has represented cricket’s most heart-warming story. The British bat and ball sport first gained traction in the 1990s through players returning home from refugee camps in cricket-crazy Pakistan.

Afghanistan then enjoyed a rapid rise gaining membership of the International Cricket Council, the sport’s governing body, in 2001 just a year after the Taliban lifted a ban on cricket.

In 2017 Afghanistan became a Full Member granted exclusively to just 12 countries, providing more funding and power. But developing women’s cricket – which is a staple of the membership – in conservative terrain proved difficult and became impossible after the Taliban’s bloody takeover of Afghanistan.

Fearing their safety, female cricketers sought refuge overseas with most of the team fleeing to Australia. The situation triggered a political storm and debate raged over whether Afghanistan’s Full Membership should be revoked, effectively banning the men’s team from playing.

An ICC working group was set up in late 2021 and tasked with investigating the situation in Afghanistan. With women’s cricket there unlikely to restart any time soon, with fears it might be dead, Australia has taken a human rights stand and refused to play bilateral series against Afghanistan. England has recently also taken a similar approach.

But the other Full Members have not and Afghanistan avoided sanctions as I first reported last year. But the firm stance from Australia and England has meant that the working group will remain intact, as I first reported in April.

The working group was set to be disbanded, but with the issue still proving thorny, the committee members will continue to monitor the situation. It is unlikely the Afghanistan issue will be discussed at next month’s ICC annual general meeting.

Afghanistan’s cricket future continues to evoke such widespread emotion underlining the complexities of a country ravaged over decades. Whatever side of the debate you fall on, the emotional scenes across Afghanistan, as a nation momentarily snapped out of its grim everyday existence, were powerful.

Of course, it wasn’t long before it was back to reality as the Taliban authorities sent in security personnel to disperse the crowds.

But giddy fans right now have hope and they will be dreaming of again celebrating in the streets in the coming days.