Afghan Women's Cricket Team Set for Historic Tour in England

Historic Tour for Afghan Women Cricketers

In a significant development aimed at ensuring Afghan women remain engaged in cricket, the refugee Afghanistan women's cricket team is scheduled to visit England next month. This tour will feature several T20 matches along with opportunities for high-performance training. The England Cricket Board (ECB) has stated that much of the program will be executed in collaboration with the MCC and the MCC Foundation. Additionally, the players will have the chance to attend the Women's T20 World Cup final at the prestigious Lord's Cricket Ground in London, with the tour commencing on June 22.

Exiled Afghanistan Women's Team

This tour marks a pivotal moment, as many of the players participating were part of the Afghanistan women's team prior to the Taliban's resurgence in 2021. Following this political shift, women faced restrictions on participating in sports and social activities. Approximately 20 players from the Afghanistan women's team, who were under contract with the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), sought refuge in Australia. In January 2025, they played a match at Junction Oval in Melbourne against a 'cricket without borders XI' and attended the inaugural match of the 2025 Women's World Cup between India and Sri Lanka at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati. Clare Connor, ECB Deputy CEO and Managing Director of England Women, expressed, “These players have demonstrated remarkable resilience since being displaced from Afghanistan in 2021. We have collaborated with It’s Game On to create an itinerary filled with experiences that we hope will be both enjoyable and memorable. We are thrilled that the squad will also attend the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 final. Cricket has a duty to promote inclusion and opportunity, and we are honored to host this tour and support the players in strengthening their connection to the sport.”