CSA justifies stance on Proteas facing Afghanistan

Cricket SA (CSA) has justified its decision to continue facing Afghanistan in bilateral series by saying it is unfair to “subject Afghan cricket players — both male and female — to secondary persecution for the actions of the Taliban”.

In a 327-word statement released on Thursday, in which CSA mostly pointed out all the work it had done to grow the women’s game locally, the organisation basically said its hands were tied on the issue of allowing its national teams to face Afghanistan. 

The Taliban regime, which regained control of the country in 2021, has instituted brutal restrictions on women, including about dress code while women are also not allowed to speak in public.

On the cricket front, the Afghanistan women’s team has not been allowed to train in their country, with many players taking up refugee status, including a group of about 20 players who are in Australia. 

CSA faced a torrent of criticism in the wake of its decision to play a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. Before the Proteas headed to the UAE, where the series is being played, captain Temba Bavuma expressed his support for a statement by the SA Cricketers' Association — the local players' union — that CSA should “utilise the leverage available to it” and “highlight” that the “rights for Afghanistan’s women’s players must be protected and respected”.

“We are aligned with the South African Cricketers' Association (Saca) in its view that a player’s right to pursue sport cannot be limited because of his or her gender,” CSA said.

However, other than “engage with member countries within the formal structures of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to address this matter”, CSA provided no indication of what precisely it could do to assist women cricketers in Afghanistan.

The ICC has not condemned the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). Instead, the newly appointed ICC chairperson, Jay Shah, in his role as president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), hosted the ACB and other affiliates from the region at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last week.

Among the issues discussed at the meeting was Afghanistan possibly hosting a regional tournament and the creation of an under-19 women’s competition for teams under the auspices of the ACC.