Cricketer Firooza Amiri says her team will "represent millions of women in Afghanistan who are denied their rights바카라 when the side reunites after more than three years for an exhibition game in Australia on Thursday. (More Cricket News)
An Afghanistan Women's XI will play a Cricket Without Borders XI in the match at Melbourne's Junction Oval. It will bring together 21 female players who were formerly contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) before the Taliban regime re-took control in August 2021.
Since fleeing Afghanistan, the women cricketers banned from playing in their home country, have been based in Canberra and Melbourne and playing for various club teams in local competitions.
Amiri and Nahida Sapan, who will captain the Afghanistan Women's XI, thanked the Australian government and Cricket Australia for their support in promoting women's sport.
바카라It's very special for all of us to get back together after three years, leaving everything and losing everything back home in Afghanistan and come together again," Amiri said this week.
Amiri was forced to flee her home country when the Taliban took control. She and her family first travelled to Pakistan and then were evacuated to Australia.
바카라I also want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who supports us. Your support means the world to us,바카라 Sapan said. 바카라Together we are building not just a team. We are building a movement for change and improvement.
바카라This is a very historic moment for all of Afghan women. This match can open doors for Afghan women for education, sport and our future.바카라
Sapan told the BBC in 2023 that her family received death threats from government officials after the Taliban re-took power. The threatening messages included: 바카라If we find you, we will not let you live.바카라
Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley praised the resilience of the players. He said it was a powerful moment when they were presented with their team shirts for the exhibition match.
바카라To see their playing shirts for the first time with their names and numbers on the back, you can see how much it means to them,바카라 Hockley said. 바카라I'm just inspired by their resilience, their love for the game.바카라
Hockley said CA would continue to 바카라advocate바카라 for change at a global level through discussions with the International Cricket Council (ICC). He said Thursday's game represented an important first step.
바카라This match shines the light on the fact that in places around the world, not every woman and girl has the chance to play,바카라 Hockley said. 바카라We continue to advocate at the ICC and continue to engage with the ACB (Afghanistan Cricket Board).
바카라It's such a complex situation. It's bigger than cricket.바카라
Under Taliban rule, the Afghanistan Cricket Board cannot field a national women's team because the country's laws forbid women from playing sports, studying and medical education, moves that have been criticized by world groups including the International Criminal Court.
Afghanistan is a full member of the ICC and a condition of that status should require it to have a women's side.
England and Australia are refusing to participate in a direct series against Afghanistan in protest, but continue to play against it in ICC events, such as next month's Champions Trophy global event in Pakistan.
England cricket captain Jos Buttler said last week that his side should not boycott a match against the Afghanistan men's team when they are scheduled to play in the Champions Trophy on Feb. 26 in Lahore. South Africa's sports minister, however, has urged the Proteas to boycott their match against Afghanistan in the same tournament.
Asked why Australia was prepared to play a men's game against Afghanistan in an ICC event, but not in a bilateral series, Hockley said CA was 바카라duty-bound바카라 to play all its scheduled fixtures at ICC events.
바카라We're really trying to do everything we can in our power to make a difference,바카라 Hockley said. 바카라We've played Afghanistan in other ICC events. You have to draw a line somewhere and I think we've made our stance pretty clear.바카라
Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan from Afghanistan's men's national cricket team have posted support of women's education on social media after the Taliban closed training institutes for nursing and midwives.
Hockley said he hoped Thursday's match, the format for which was not announced, would become an annual one and that it would 바카라promote lots of conversations."
바카라You need moments like this to prompt real change. The first piece is awareness,바카라 Hockley said. 바카라Hopefully this game just raises awareness. I think it's a real beacon of hope.바카라
