Cricket Australia (CA) has firmly defended its stance on Afghanistan cricket, pushing back against comments from outgoing ICC chief executive Greg Barclay. Barclay has been succeeded by former BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, who has now become the new ICC Chairman. The dispute centres on Australia’s approach to engaging with Afghanistan, where the Taliban has banned women from participating in sports.
“Virtue signalling” question on Cricket Australia
Barclay accused Cricket Australia of “virtue signalling” for competing against Afghanistan in “ICC World Cups” while refusing to play bilateral series with the team. He challenged the organisation to demonstrate true principles by completely avoiding competition with Afghanistan, even if it meant potentially losing a semi-final placement.
“If you want to make a political statement, don’t play them in a World Cup,” Barclay said. “Sure, it might cost you a semi-final place, but principles are principles. It’s not about having half a principle.”
Latest in Cricket
However, Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird strongly rejected these criticisms. He emphasised that the organisation remains committed to supporting Afghan women’s cricket. Cricket Australia is showcasing its dedication by hosting a special T20 exhibition match with female Afghan cricket players who left their country following the Taliban’s takeover. It will be played when Melbourne hosts the 4th Ashes Test between Australia and England in December 2025. Baird highlighted Cricket Australia’s broader mission of promoting women’s cricket, stating that the organisation has drawn a clear line in its engagement with Afghanistan.
“I saw those comments this morning, and I hadn’t heard those views before in any kind of forum. Obviously he’s entitled to his view, and he’s going on to new things, and we wish him well on that,” the CA chairman said. “But we’re very proud of the position we’ve taken and we’re supporting the Afghan women’s cricket team and those members who are still here and we’ll be doing that in the summer, and we look forward to that. “There’s all types of lines you can draw. We’ve drawn a line. We’ve taken a position, and we’re proudly standing up where we think we should.“
“And I think that event that’s going to come at the end of January is a celebration of women, and what we’re seeing in the women’s game—and cricket has led that here in this country—has been incredible, so we remain proud.”
Editor's Pick
Cricket
Unpopular Opinion: Bumrah not the best option for Test captaincy; Team India has to look at Pant or Kohli
Top Stories
