English players urged to reconsider Afghan T20 tournament
Summary
English cricket players have signed up for the Afghanistan Premier League (APL), a new men's T20 cricket tournament to be held later this year in the United Arab Emirates. Some politicians and human rights groups have urged them to reconsider because of the Taliban's treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan.Key Facts
- The Afghanistan Premier League (APL) is a new Twenty20 cricket tournament organized by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).
- The APL will take place in the UAE starting 27 December and has five teams.
- Several English players, including Ollie Pope and Moeen Ali, have registered for the tournament draft.
- The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has not scheduled matches against Afghanistan due to concerns about the Taliban's oppression of women but allows players to join franchise tournaments like the APL.
- ECB is expected to grant No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to players if the International Cricket Council (ICC) approves the tournament.
- Politicians and groups like Amnesty International have criticized participation because Afghan women and girls face bans from sports and education under the Taliban.
- Afghan women’s cricket team currently plays in exile, funded by the ICC and some cricket boards, with funding extended to 2032.
- The ICC is reviewing the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s application to hold the tournament and has made commitments to supporting Afghan women's cricket participation.
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