Afghanistan cricketer Rashid Khan has threatens to pull out of the Big Bash League (BBL) after Cricket Australia announce its decision to withdraw from a bilateral ODI series against Afghanistan in March. Australia’s decision to pull out of the series comes after Taliban’s stance of banning university for girls in Afghanistan.
An extremely disappoint and sad Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said it will officially write to the International Cricket Council (ICC) about Cricket Australia (CA) withdrawal from the three-match men`s ODI series to be host by them in March.
Cricket Australia (CA) has said in an official statement that it has decide to withdraw from a men`s ODI series against Afghanistan to be play in the UAE in March, which is a part of the ICC Super League, after consulting with the government and following a recent announcement by the Taliban on banning women`s and girls` education, employment and ability to access parks and gyms.
Afghanistan Cricket Board has also said that they could re-consider the participation of Afghanistan players in the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia if Cricket Australia doesn`t take back the decision of not playing an ODI series against their men`s team.
ACB further said the decision taken by CA will severely impact the growth of cricket in the country.
ACB Said :
Afghanistan Cricket Board insisted that cricket has a tool for development in the country and that it is willing to work with CA and other boards to get towards appropriate solutions.
This is the second time in two years that CA has cancel a bilateral meeting with Afghanistan due to the Taliban government`s policies on women.
CA had postpone the one-off men`s Test that was schedule to be play in Hobart in November 2021 due to concern over women`s cricket in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country.
Australia did play Afghanistan in Adelaide during the recent Men`s T20 World Cup, where they won by four runs.
The two teams have met only once in a bilateral match in 2012, with the rest of three meetings coming in ICC World Cups.