Women’s cricket in Afghanistan is composed of refugees now settled in Australia, who will side against a team called Cricket Without Borders XI during a T20 match at Junction over Melbourne on Thursday, this is their first outing on a cricket field since 2021.
Players, all of whom fled Afghanistan after the Taliban took over, have been living in Canberra and Melbourne since arriving in Australia.
It will be taking place before the actual day-night Women’s Ashes Test, which is slated to start at the MCG between Australia and England.
“This, I think, will become the first step. Thursday will be fabulous, and my hope is that there will be lots of discussion this week, that, if successful, it can become an annual feature, and, ultimately, that this team will be able to compete on the international stage as they wish,” said CA chief executive Nick Hockley in a press conference.
“I don’t believe any of us can truly understand what they endured relocating to another country under such trying circumstances while not knowing the language.
“I’m just overwhelmed by their efforts and passion for the game, and hopefully this game is just a chance to make people aware, a ray of hope,” he said.
Nahida Sapan, one of the Afghan cricketers, has called it a “historic moment” but wants more and more people to support them.
In men’s cricket, Australia does not have bilateral matches with Afghanistan but continues to face them on ICC tours.
The Aussies and Afghans are put in the same group for next month’s Champions Trophy.
