Rashid Khan Ben Stokes for Afghanistan and England. Image Credits: AFP
In a significant development, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that England will continue refusing to play bilateral series against Afghanistan due to ongoing concerns over the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls.
The decision reinforces England's long-standing position that normal sporting relations cannot continue while women in Afghanistan remain barred from education, public life, and sports participation.
ECB chair Richard Thompson described the situation in Afghanistan as gender discrimination. He also mentioned that the exclusion of women from cricket violates the spirit and obligations of international sport.
It is important to note that he made this comments at a time when the global cricket community was already talking about how to respond to Afghanistan’s failure to field a women’s cricket team.
ECB Maintains Protest Against Taliban Policies
The ECB has been like that of Cricket Australia, which previously cancelled bilateral series against Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
Since regaining control of the country, the Taliban administration has imposed restrictions on women and girls, including preventing them from participating in organised sports.
According to the ECB, continuing bilateral cricket relations under such circumstances would amount to ignoring serious human rights concerns. Richard Thompson has repeatedly argued that cricket cannot separate itself from the wider social realities affecting Afghan women.
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However, it is worth noting that England played its Champions Trophy fixture against Afghanistan last year.
The England board decided to play this fixture as it fell under an ICC global event, where unilateral withdrawal could have resulted in sanctions and broader complications for the tournament.
Despite that participation, the board has stated that England will not play against Afghanistan in bilateral series, including Test matches, ODIs, or T20I tours arranged outside ICC competitions.
ICC Rules And The Women’s Cricket Debate
The controversy has also reignited debate surrounding the ICC’s own governance rules. Under ICC regulations, full member nations are expected to support and develop women's cricket structures. Afghanistan's inability to field a recognised women’s team has led to criticism from several cricket boards.
The ECB believes that a collective ICC-led response would be more effective than isolated actions by individual countries.
The fact cannot be denied that things will become more complicated after the proposed expansion of the International Cricket Council World Test Championship structure comes into play.
Afghanistan is expected to be included in a single division format alongside all 12 Test-playing nations, potentially creating future scheduling conflicts.
England’s 2026 International Schedule
As per the schedule, the England cricket team will next host New Zealand for a three-match Test series beginning in June, with matches scheduled at Lord’s, The Oval, and Trent Bridge. After this, England will next play against India in July. The series includes 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs.
The first T20I of the series will be played on July 1, followed by the second on July 4, and the third on July 7. The fourth and the last match will be played on 7 and 9 July, respectively. The ODI series will run from July 14 to July 19.
England will then welcome Pakistan for a three-Test series in August and September before concluding the home summer with limited-overs matches against Sri Lanka.
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