ECB responds to boycott calls for Afghanistan game at Champions Trophy

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has responded to the calls made by British politicians to boycott Afghanistan in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.

ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould has refused to take unilateral action in the matter after a group of more than 160 politicians called for boycotting the Afghanistan game due to the violation of women’s rights in the country.

In a letter from the Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi which included signs of dozens of British politicians, England were urged to boycott their game against Afghanistan.

“We strongly urge the England men’s team players and officials to speak out against the horrific treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban,” the letter, addressed to the ECB chief, read.

“We also urge the ECB to consider a boycott of the upcoming match against Afghanistan … to send a clear signal that such grotesque abuses will not be tolerated,” the letter added.

The boycott calls come as Afghanistan and England are scheduled to play on February 26 in Lahore in the second game of the Champions Trophy 2025.

Responding to the letter, ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould was of the view that England could not boycott the Champions Trophy 2025 game without reaching a consensus within the ICC.

“The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. The ICC constitution mandates that all member nations are committed to the growth and development of women’s cricket,” he wrote in response to the letter.

Meanwhile, Gould mentioned that the ECB has not scheduled any bilateral cricket matches against Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control of the country in 2021.

“While there has not been a consensus on further international action within the ICC, the ECB will continue to actively advocate for such measures. A coordinated, ICC-wide approach would be significantly more impactful than unilateral actions by individual members,” Richard Gould added.

It is to be noted here that England have played Afghanistan twice in the ICC tournaments after the Afghan Taliban made their way back to power in 2021.