Adelaide: Cricket Australia on Thursday defended its decision to boycott only a few games against Afghanistan after the outgoing boss of the world governing body accused them of hypocrisy.
Australia has refused to play a bilateral series against Afghanistan in recent years due to the Taliban’s ongoing crackdown on women’s sports. But they continue to face Afghanistan in major tournaments like the World Cup, including a famous defeat in the T20 tournament earlier this year.
International Cricket Council chairman Greg Barclay said that if Australia wanted to take a stand, it should also withdraw from the World Cup games. He told Britain’s Daily Telegraph that if you want to make a political statement, don’t play him in the World Cup.
“Sure, it might get you into the semi-finals, but rules are rules. It’s not about having half the rules,” Barkley added. Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird said he was “very proud of the position we have achieved”. “We have taken a position, and we stand proudly where we think we should,” he said, according to Australian media.
“There are all kinds of lines you can draw. We’ve drawn a line. We’ve got a position and we’re standing proudly where we think we should be. Australia’s men against Afghanistan in March. canceled the T20 series saying that the situation of women in the Taliban-ruled country was deteriorating.
It was the third time since 2021 that Australia refused to play Afghanistan out of international tournaments. Before the return of the Taliban, Afghanistan’s cricket board had made slow progress in promoting the game among women, signing a small number of semi-professional players for 2020.