Cricket Australia (CA) announced on Thursday that Australia’s one-day international (ODI) series against Afghanistan in March has been cancelled due to additional Taliban restrictions on women’s and girls’ rights.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government banned women from attending universities last month, and girls have been barred from attending high school since March. They have also been barred from entering parks and gyms. Australia and Afghanistan were scheduled to play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) in the United Arab Emirates, but CA cancelled the series after consulting with the Australian government.
“CA is committed to growing the game for women and men around the world, including in Afghanistan,” the sporting body said. “We appreciate the Australian government’s assistance in this matter.”
Australia was scheduled to play a test match against Afghanistan in November 2021, but the match was cancelled after the Taliban overthrew the internationally recognised government in mid-August. Afghanistan is the only full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) that does not have a women’s team. They have, however, continued to play at ICC events since the Taliban’s takeover, and faced Australia in last year’s Twenty20 World Cup.
