[PICTURES] Is Australia reading from the same hymn sheet as India when it comes to not playing for political reasons?

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Following Afghanistan's remarkable semi-final finish in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, former members of the Afghanistan Women's Cricket team, now based in Australia, have penned a letter to the International Cricket Council requesting support in establishing a refugee cricket team. They have also requested that this letter be widely shared.

 

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During a media interaction, Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley:

"We hope for progress and will continue to discuss and maintain contact with the Afghanistan Cricket Board. They had a fantastic tournament with phenomenal players and played with great passion. Regarding our bilateral matches, we have consulted extensively with stakeholders, including the Australian government, and chose to postpone our last couple of series with Afghanistan on human rights grounds."

"We maintain a close relationship and regular dialogue with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and want to see cricket thrive worldwide for both men and women. We hope for progress and continue to discuss and maintain contact with the Afghanistan Cricket Board, aiming to resume bilateral cricket against Afghanistan in the future."

"We understand that the Afghanistan women based in Australia have written to the ICC. We have meetings coming up in Colombo in July, and I'm sure it will be a topic of conversation. The Afghan women in Australia are engaged with the cricketing community, but it's not something we were directly involved in."

 

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Temba Bavuma supports SACA's stand for women's rights in Afghanistan, he said ahead of his team's departure for the UAE for a white-ball series against Afghanistan:

"I look at it in my personal capacity. It's obviously something that is quite strong within my own values."

"I support the idea of inclusivity and caring for women. We want everyone to have a fair chance within society, and we know that that is something that is relevant to us as a country in South Africa. I'm fully behind the sentiments that are expressed by SACA."

"I think I've got to respect the fact that there are people in positions who have that responsibility to speak more eloquently and articulate a little bit more of it."

"In my own personal capacity, I definitely support the stance and the sentiments expressed by SACA. And I can understand where Rob as well is coming from in that we are selected to do a job in the cricketing field. And I think a lot of our energy will generally be dedicated to that at least."