The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a dedicated support plan for exiled female cricketers from Afghanistan, funded jointly by the ICC, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Cricket Australia (CA). Importantly, this initiative will not draw from the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s (ACB) annual ICC revenue disbursement, which will remain unaffected.
The initiative, finalized during the ICC board meeting in Zimbabwe, aims to provide coaching, mentorship, and educational support to displaced Afghan women cricketers. This marks the ICC’s first formal engagement with Afghan female players since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, which led to the dismantling of women’s cricket in Afghanistan.
Despite discussions last year about allocating part of the ACB’s ICC funding toward women’s cricket, no agreement was reached. The ACB remains the only Full Member without a women’s team, as the current political situation in Afghanistan prohibits it.
The ICC clarified that the program does not amount to official recognition of a national team nor does it authorize Afghanistan to field one. Instead, it focuses on offering resources and opportunities to the players regardless of their location, with the ultimate goal of keeping the sport alive for Afghan women in exile.
The initiative will include all displaced Afghan women cricketers, not just the 19 currently residing in Australia. Players living in Canada, the UK, and elsewhere who were contracted by the ACB before 2021 will also be eligible. These players will undergo an accreditation process facilitated by ICC member boards.
The ICC will work closely with Pitch Our Future, an organization supporting Afghan women cricketers in Australia, which has already hosted events like the January exhibition match in Melbourne. Plans are underway for training camps, exhibition games, and participation in the 2025 Women’s World Cup to provide further exposure and engagement with the global cricketing community.
