Firoza Amiri and Nahida Sapan of the Afghanistan XI will play in the Afghanistan XI v Cricket … [+] Without Borders XI Cricket Game at Junction Oval in Melbourne (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images for Cricket Australia)
After the Taliban’s bloody takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, effectively ending the fledgling development of women’s cricket in the war-torn country, Firooza Amiri had to flee for survival.
She, along with other Afghanistan women cricketers turned refugees, found a new home a long way away – Australia. But the destruction of their homeland was devastating for Amiri and exacerbated by the eroding of women’s rights by the Taliban’s oppressive regime.
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Amiri has had to rebuild her life in much different surroundings. More than three years have passed, but she’s grown stronger and determined. She does not want Afghanistan women’s cricket – which had started to develop slowly amid very conservative terrain before the Taliban occupation – to completely die.
Her passion for cricket and love of playing this bat and ball sport – that has grown considerably in popularity in Afghanistan in recent decades – remains stronger than ever. She’s been playing club cricket in Dandenong in Melbourne.
Amiri still dreams of playing for Afghanistan, who never have had an official women’s team at international level. But under International Cricket Council member rules they were obligated to develop women’s cricket and establish a national side.
It might not be international cricket, but Amiri will on Thursday be part of an Afghanistan Women’s XI that play against a Cricket Without Borders team in Melbourne.
When the players received their playing shirts, with their names boldly displayed on the back, Amiri and her teammates were understandably emotional.
Firoza Amiri and Nahida Sapan will play for an Afghanistan XI (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images … [+] for Cricket Australia)
“To get back together after three years, leaving everything, and losing everything back home in Afghanistan, to come together again, it’s going to be very exciting for all of us to play together,” Amiri said.
“We are going to represent millions of Afghan women that they are in Afghanistan and denied for their rights.”
The match, played hours before the women’s Ashes Test match between Australia and England at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground, has been set up by Cricket Australia, who have strengthened its support for Afghanistan women’s cricket in a public stance.
“I think the first piece is awareness,” outgoing CA chief Nick Hockley said. “But I think it’s going to be such an exciting day on Thursday, and my hope is that promotes lots of conversations, that this becomes an annual thing and then ultimately, that this team were able to compete on the international stage as is their want.”
England have in recent times also thrown its support behind the Afghanistan women, while debate has stirred among politicians in South Africa. But the sport’s thorniest issue remains at a stalemate.
Australia and England continue to play Afghanistan in major competitions and will do so in next month’s Champions Trophy, leading to calls of hypocrisy even from recently departed ICC chair Greg Barclay.
Firoza Amiri, Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley and Nahida Sapan (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty … [+] Images for Cricket Australia)
Revoking Afghanistan’s Full Membership, stripping them of funding, power and prestige, is a hard-line measure that would reverberate loudly. Though it’s unlikely to cause a stir for the Taliban even though cricket is the most popular sport in the country.
But most on the ICC board, where the power lies and decisions are made, don’t want to go through with that because they believe the Afghanistan Cricket Board is handcuffed.
Some believe sanctions on Afghanistan opens a political minefield and other member countries would need to be scrutinised too. There is a widespread reluctance to make such decisions that could essentially paralyze Afghanistan men’s cricket – with their national team such a cult favorite worldwide and they’ve also had considerable on-field success.
It has been learned that stripping Full Membership has never been contemplated. There had been a push led by Australia to set aside a percentage of Afghanistan revenue to fund women’s cricket.
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But as I reported mid-last year, it failed to materialize due to the high cost of the Afghanistan men’s team. They do not play cricket at home due to security issues and have been mostly based in the UAE and India.
Even though the issue is currently making the headlines ahead of the high-profile exhibition match, sentiments from many power brokers remain unchanged. “The law of the land is applicable to all sports and not just cricket, so ACB can’t be penalized,” a senior administrator told me.
Simply put, Afghanistan women’s cricket remains extremely bleak. But on Thursday, many miles away in Melbourne, hard-bitten expatriates will take the field with pride.
“It’s going to be very exciting for all of us to play together,” Amiri said. “We had a couple of camps together, but it’s going to be our first match. We’re looking for a win.”
