South Africa’s Sports Minister, Gayton McKenzie, has thrown his support behind calls to boycott Afghanistan in the upcoming Champions Trophy, aligning with British politicians urging England to take similar action. The push comes in response to Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government’s rollback of women’s rights since seizing power in August 2021.
England and South Africa are both in Afghanistan’s group for the One Day International tournament, set to take place in Pakistan. South Africa is scheduled to face Afghanistan on February 21 in Karachi. However, McKenzie urged Cricket South Africa (CSA) to reconsider participating in the match.
“Cricket South Africa, along with federations of other countries and the ICC (International Cricket Council), must reflect on the message the sport sends to the world, particularly to women in sports,” McKenzie said in a statement on Thursday.
He added, “As a man who experienced racial exclusion from sports during Apartheid, it would be hypocritical to ignore the suppression of women’s rights anywhere in the world today.”
CSA and ICC Call for Unified Action
In response, Cricket South Africa issued a statement saying they would defer to the ICC’s guidance, emphasizing the need for a “unified and collective approach” among member nations.
“CSA finds the suppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan abhorrent and strongly believes in equal opportunities and resources for women’s cricket,” the statement read.
The ICC has yet to announce any official stance on Afghanistan’s participation in the tournament.
British Politicians and Cricket Boards Take a Stand
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is also under mounting pressure, with over 160 British politicians signing a cross-party letter urging England to boycott their match against Afghanistan, scheduled for February 26 in Lahore.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould echoed CSA’s position, calling for a consistent response from all ICC members.
Australia, another team set to face Afghanistan on February 28 in Lahore, has faced criticism for its approach. Cricket Australia postponed a bilateral T20 series against Afghanistan last March due to “deteriorating human rights” but later played against Afghanistan at the 2023 World Cup in India and the T20 World Cup in 2024.
Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird defended their stance, saying, “We’ve taken a position, and we’re proud of it,” despite accusations of inconsistency.
As the Champions Trophy approaches, calls for a coordinated global stance on Afghanistan’s participation grow louder, putting the ICC and cricket boards worldwide under pressure to act.
