Cricket Scotland has announced it will no longer schedule bilateral matches against Afghanistan outside official International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments, becoming the latest cricket board to take a stand against the Taliban regime’s treatment of women and girls.
The decision, announced on Monday, reflects growing international pressure on Afghanistan’s cricket establishment over the near-total erasure of women’s sport and the severe restrictions on education and employment for women since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Scotland’s move mirrors earlier decisions by Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board, both of which suspended bilateral ties with Afghanistan despite the country’s status as an ICC Full Member since 2017. Cricket Scotland emphasized that its policy stems from a commitment to expanding women’s and girls’ participation in cricket, as well as concerns about the broader humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
The Taliban government has consistently defended its policies, claiming they respect women’s rights according to their interpretation of Islamic law and local customs, and insisting that internal matters should not be subject to external interference.
Scotland has not played Afghanistan in a full international match since the 2021 T20 World Cup. However, the Afghanistan Cricket Board recently requested training facilities in Scotland twice this year—once in July ahead of a men’s series against Ireland, and again in September for the T20 Afghanistan Premier League.
Cricket Scotland stated it would review the policy annually or following any significant ICC decision or material change in circumstances. The board also clarified it would continue to honor contractual obligations to players and issue no-objection certificates if the ICC officially approves the Afghan league, though participation by Scottish players would not constitute an endorsement of the Taliban regime or its policies.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded.
For Pakistan, the development carries significant weight. As Afghanistan’s neighbor with deep historical, cultural, and political ties, Pakistan has navigated a complex relationship with the Taliban government. The suspension of cricket ties by multiple Western boards raises questions about the future of Afghanistan’s participation in international cricket and whether other nations—including Pakistan—might face pressure to take similar stances.
Cricket has long served as a diplomatic bridge in South Asia, and Afghanistan’s men’s team has been a rare success story for the war-torn nation. However, the growing isolation over women’s rights could force difficult conversations within the ICC and among cricket-playing nations about balancing sport with human rights concerns.
Pakistan, which has maintained cricketing relations with Afghanistan and hosted Afghan players in domestic leagues, now watches as the international community increasingly isolates Afghan cricket. The question remains whether Pakistan will face calls to follow Scotland, Australia, and England, or whether it will continue to engage with Afghanistan on the cricket field despite the mounting controversy.
