Cricket Australia has pulled out of all bilateral series against Afghanistan's men's team in a show of distaste for the Taliban regime for taking away women's freedom. However, they are arranging for their women's cricket team to play a T20 match in January. Afghan women's team will face Without Borders XI at Junction Oval in Melbourne on January 30.
After the Taliban government took power in 2021, the women's cricket team fled Afghanistan and took refuge in Australia. Then for the first time they are coming together to play a match. On the same day, the women's pink-ball Ashes Test will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said in a statement on Friday: 'Many people in cricket and the community have shown united support for members of the Afghanistan women's team since arriving in Australia. This match will be his celebration.'
The Australian government has also worked to provide this opportunity to the Afghanistan women's team. Earlier this year, 17 centrally contracted players from Afghanistan wrote to the ICC seeking assistance in forming a refugee team in Australia.
ICC chief Geoff Allardyce admitted it was difficult for Afghanistan's cricket board to field a women's cricket team until some changes were made at the government level.
