The Afghanistan Cricket Board condemns Cricket Australia for the postponement of the T20I series and urges them not to put external pressure on the issue.
ACB faults CA for Postponed T20Is
The Afghanistan Cricket Board made a lengthy statement in March urging Cricket Australia not to put external pressure and political influence after the latter postponed T20Is.
On Tuesday, CA announced that the men’s T20I series between both sides in August will be postponed because of deteriorating human rights for women and girls in Afghanistan.
“The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) expresses disappointment over Cricket Australia’s decision to postpone yet another bilateral series against Afghanistan and reiterates its stance on neutral and politics-free cricket across the globe.”
“ACB advocates for keeping cricket distinct from political influence, considering the game’s significance in Afghanistan and its connection to the happiness and joy of the Afghan Nation,” read the statement.
“ACB acknowledges the pressures faced by Cricket Australia from the Australian Government and emphasizes the importance of addressing such issues through collaborative efforts between the two cricket boards.”
“The ACB also urges the Australian government not to impose its policies on cricket boards and instead focus on supporting the development of cricket across regions.”
“ACB’s top management had previously engaged in negotiations with Cricket Australia and proposed exploring alternative solutions instead of publicly announcing withdrawals. ACB expresses disappointment over CA’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan for the third time.”
“The three-match T20I series was part of AfghanAtalan’s FTP for the ICC 2023-2027 International Calender, which was approved by the ICC in the presence of the CA delegation, who had agreed to the fixtures at the time,” read the statement.
“ACB urges Cricket Australia to respect and understand its position as a Full Member nation and look for alternative solutions rather than succumbing to external pressures and/or political influences.”
The Afghanistan Cricket Board remains committed to negotiating with the International Cricket Council, Cricket Australia, & other full member countries and adhering to ICC principles to ensure cricket remains free from political influence and supported by all parties involved,” read the statement.
This was the third time CA decided to postpone a series against Afghanistan.
CA has canceled a single Test match against Afghanistan, which was originally scheduled to be played in Hobart on November 21. They have also withdrawn from the three-match ODI series which is set to be held in March 2023.
Despite these things, Australia has played against Afghanistan at ICC-run tournaments, most recently at the 2023 men’s ODI World Cup in India where Glenn Maxwell smashed an unbeaten double century which led to the victory of Australia in the match.
