The ICC Champions Trophy 2025, a prestigious international cricket tournament, is set to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025, in a hybrid format co-hosted by Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. However, the event has sparked significant controversy due to the ongoing political situation in Afghanistan, particularly the Taliban’s oppressive stance on women’s rights. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been urged by British lawmakers to reconsider their participation in a match against Afghanistan scheduled for February 26, 2025. This request follows the Taliban’s stringent restrictions on women’s participation in sports and public life.
The Taliban’s impact on Afghanistan cricket
Since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021, the regime has enforced laws that effectively prohibit women from participating in sports or engaging in public life. These actions have drawn widespread condemnation from international organizations, including the International Cricket Council (ICC). The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has come under scrutiny for its failure to adhere to ICC regulations that require the inclusion of women in cricket development programs. As a result, the Afghanistan national team’s participation in global tournaments like the Champions Trophy has become a subject of heated debate.
Jos Buttler’s response to the boycott call
Considering the ongoing political pressure, England’s captain, Jos Buttler, has expressed his stance on the matter. Speaking candidly, Buttler acknowledged the complexity of the situation but emphasized that as a player, he tries to stay informed about political situations but relies on experts for more knowledge. He has been in communication with ECB men’s managing director Rob Key and others at the ECB to understand their perspective, and he believes a boycott is not the right approach.
“Political situations like this, as a player you’re trying to be as informed as you can be,” Buttler said. “The experts know a lot more about it, so I’ve been trying to stay in dialogue with Rob Key and the guys above to see how they see it. I don’t think a boycott is the way to go about it,” Buttler said to the reporter ahead of first T20I against India.
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Players focused on the game, not politics
Buttler mentioned that players haven’t been overly concerned about political issues and have been focusing on educating themselves. He has read helpful materials and consulted experts for their opinions. He emphasized that players don’t want politics to impact sports and expressed hope for a successful Champions Trophy tournament.
“The players haven’t really worried too much about it. You’re trying to educate yourself and read up on these things. There’s been some good stuff written about it that I’ve tapped into and I’ve spoken to quite a few people to try and gather expert opinion. As a player, you don’t want political situations to affect sport. We hope to go to the Champions Trophy and play that game and have a really good tournament,” he added.
