Vetted by NeuralPress's Multi-Agent Verifier for strict factual validity and event relevance. Our compliance engine cross-checks and filters search results to ensure zero false correlations or misleading content.
Primary Sources
Afghan women's refugee team returning to international cricket after ...
Afghanistan’s displaced female cricketers will tour England next month, a landmark moment on a five-year journey to rebuild their careers and remain part of the game following their exclusion from sports after the Taliban’s return to power.The Afghanistan Refugee team will contain players who had been contracted to the Afghanistan Cricket Board and left the country after being “systematically excluded from sport and public life” by the Taliban, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Thursday in announcing the tour.It will begin on June 22 and include Twenty20 matches as well as opportunities to train and also attend the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s on July 5.Article continues below this adThe ECB said the tour “carries significant cultural and sporting importance.”“This tour represents not only an opportunity for them to compete as a team,” the English governing body said, “but a moment for cricket in this country to stand for inclusion and the protection of women’s participation in sport.”Most of the Afghan players resettled in Australia, where they continued playing in domestic competitions but without access to international cricket, despite International Cricket Council regulations requiring all test-playing members to support men’s and women’s national teams.Article continues below this adThe women have repeatedly asked the ICC to reform as a refugee team.Their reintegration to cricket has been supported by a consultancy firm — “It’s Game On" — co-founded by former Australia international Mel Jones.“These players have shown extraordinary courage and commitment to the game, despite everything that has been taken from them,” Jones said in the ECB statement.“They deserve more opportunities like this; they deserve to be recognized as part of the global cricket community.”Article continues below this adJones called for more plans for “sustained and meaningful action beyond this year.”Clare Connor, the ECB deputy chief executive, said cricket had “a responsibility to stand for inclusion and opportunity.”“We are proud to be hosting this tour,” Connor said, “and supporting the players in deepening their connection to the game.”Article continues below this ad___
Afghanistan refugee women's team set for England tour under ECB ...
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will host an Afghanistan Refugee Women's Team for a tour beginning on June 22. The programme will include T20 matches and high-performance training opportunities and will be delivered in partnership with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the MCC Foundation. The visiting players will also attend the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 at Lord's, scheduled to be held on July 5.The tour is significant because the visiting squad comprises former Afghanistan women cricketers who had to leave the country following the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, after which women were effectively excluded from sport and public life. Many of the players eventually resettled in Australia, where they have continued to pursue cricket. An Afghanistan women's team played against a 'Cricket Without Borders XI' at the Junction Oval in January 2025 ahead of the Women's Ashes Test at the MCG, a game that was streamed by Cricket Australia.The ECB said the tour aimed not only to provide competitive opportunities but also to reaffirm cricket's commitment to inclusivity. "Since being displaced from Afghanistan in 2021, these players have shown extraordinary resilience in continuing their cricket journeys, in incredibly challenging circumstances," Clare Connor, ECB Deputy CEO and Managing Director of England Women, said."We have worked with It's Game On to build an itinerary and a set of experiences that we hope will be enjoyable and memorable. We are also delighted that the squad will attend the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026."Cricket has a responsibility to stand for inclusion and opportunity, and we are proud to be hosting this tour and supporting the players in deepening their connection to the game."The relocation and continued support of the players has been facilitated in part by It's Game On, a global sports consultancy co-founded by former Australia cricketer Mel Jones and Emma Staples, along with Dr Catherine Orway. Jones, in particular, played a pivotal role in helping the players relocate to Australia. Her organisation has worked with international sporting bodies on initiatives centred around equity and opportunities for displaced female athletes."This tour is a major step forward, but also highlights how much work remains," Jones said."These players have shown extraordinary courage and commitment to the game, despite everything that has been taken from them. They deserve more opportunities like this;...
Afghan women's refugee team gains eligibility for international ...
19 hours ago ... ... after years of advocacy and challenges following the Taliban's return to power.
Afghanistan economic recovery buckles as nine in 10 families go ...
22 hours ago ... ... returns are exacerbating the ... The Taliban government appealed for international humanitarian assistance after a deadly quake struck eastern Afghanistan ...
