Afghan Women Cricketers Return to International Play

Five years after being forced from their homeland and their sport, Afghanistan's displaced women cricketers are stepping back onto the world stage with a historic tour of England.

The Afghanistan Refugee team will play in England starting June 22, marking their return to international competition after the Taliban banned them from cricket and public life in 2021. These aren't newcomers to the game. They're former Afghanistan Cricket Board contracted players who left everything behind to keep playing.

Most of the athletes resettled in Australia, where they've been competing in domestic leagues while fighting for recognition on the global stage. Despite International Cricket Council rules requiring all test-playing nations to support both men's and women's teams, these players have been locked out of international cricket until now.

The June tour will include Twenty20 matches and training opportunities, plus a chance to attend the Women's T20 World Cup final at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground on July 5. The England and Wales Cricket Board called it a moment "of significant cultural and sporting importance."

Former Australian international Mel Jones has been helping coordinate their return through her consultancy firm, It's Game On. She's been pushing for this kind of opportunity since the players first asked to reform as a refugee team.

The Ripple Effect

This tour does more than give talented athletes a chance to play the sport they love. It sends a clear message about women's place in global sports, especially for girls watching from countries where their participation remains restricted.

Clare Connor, deputy chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, emphasized cricket's responsibility to champion inclusion and opportunity. The tour represents the sport standing up for values that extend far beyond the boundary line.

Jones called the players' journey one of "extraordinary courage and commitment," noting they've continued training and competing despite losing their national team, their contracts, and their home country. She's pushing for more sustained support beyond this single tour.

For these athletes, the England tour isn't just about cricket statistics or match results. It's about showing the world they're still here, still playing, and still fighting for their right to compete.

The tour stands as proof that even when systematic exclusion tries to erase women from sport, determination and global solidarity can create new paths forward.