Cricket Ireland defends stance on Afghanistan

An Afghanistan fan at Bready Cricket Ground, Magheramason, Tyrone. Picyure: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho

Ireland's cricketing governing body says it is "simply incorrect" to say that it does not care about the plight of women in Afghanistan.

Ireland last week finished a series of one-day international games with Afghanistan, a series called "unconscionable" by Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman. 

Afghanistan won the series 4-0 after the first game at Stormont was rained off.

Mr O'Gorman said that while Afghanistan's women's team is forced to play in exile, the invitation should not have been extended to the Afghanistan team.

However, a spokesperson for Cricket Ireland said its board and staff "share a moral discomfort at the situation around human rights — and in particular, women’s rights — in that country".

They added that as Cricket Ireland is a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) it has obligations associated with international scheduling and reciprocal hosting arrangements and that last week's series formed part of a reciprocal agreement entered into "several years ago" under which hosting commitments were understood and accepted by both parties.

Afghanistan and Ireland have played 66 times since 2009, with the most recent series taking place in 2024.

Cricket Ireland also hit back at suggestions that other full members have "banned" Afghanistan.

A statement said: "While Cricket Australia and the England & Wales Cricket Board have policies regarding not playing bilateral series against Afghanistan, both countries continue to play Afghanistan in ICC events and have done so in recent years. 

"Furthermore, neither Australia nor England has the same reciprocal hosting obligations, given that no corresponding hosted series arrangements exist in their case. In addition, immediately prior to the Irish series, Afghanistan made use of facilities in England as part of its preparations."

Cricket Ireland said that it does not currently have any future bilateral fixtures against Afghanistan scheduled and that seven fixtures formerly planned "were set aside some time ago" .

The organisation said it has been "in regular contact" with the Afghanistan Women’s Refugee Team and recently met with them in London. 

Ireland’s players celebrate a wicket. Picture: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho

It said representatives with whom they have engaged "have consistently expressed the view that attention should be focused on advancing the position of Afghan women and girls rather than restricting opportunities for individual athletes".

Cricket Ireland CEO, Sarah Keane was recently appointed to the ICC Afghanistan Task Force, which is overseeing support for displaced Afghan women cricketers.

"We firmly believe that the suppression and continuing erosion of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan is abhorrent, and we have engaged with a broad range of stakeholders on this issue over a sustained period, including representatives of the Afghan community in Ireland."

The statement added that, while "a small gesture", Cricket Ireland staff chose to wear a specially commissioned pink version of its event uniform during the recent Afghanistan and Ireland Men’s series.

Mr O'Gorman said that the test matches should not have gone ahead.

"The Irish cricket team should not be playing this game. We have seen over the past few months that Irish people want their sports teams to represent their views on human rights.

"Since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, they have continued the removal of women from public life. 

"In the past few days we have heard harrowing stories of public floggings, of the job share of women falling below 5%, and a country where women are effectively housebound, with the UN saying just two days ago that most are only allowed to leave their homes once or twice a month.

"It is unconscionable that this game be played when the women’s Afghan cricket team play in exile."