What’s the point of having rules if you’re not going to enforce them? In today’s post-truth world, laws and regulations often feel more like polite suggestions than unyielding principles.
This question is central to the growing controversy around Afghan cricket. With the Taliban barring women from meaningful participation in society, there’s increasing debate about whether Afghanistan should continue to play on the global stage. South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Gayton McKenzie, likened the situation to Apartheid-era South Africa, invoking the timeless argument: “You can’t have normal sports in an abnormal society.”
I’ve personally received countless messages arguing that the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) shouldn’t be held accountable for the Taliban’s actions. On the surface, that may seem reasonable. However, regardless of whether the ACB agrees with the Taliban’s oppressive policies, the result remains the same: Afghanistan enjoys the privileges of normal sporting participation while existing in a society where fundamental rights are systematically denied. To me, that should be game, set, and match.
Yet, this isn’t just about politics. Afghanistan’s inclusion in the Champions Trophy is a clear violation of the International Cricket Council’s own standard operating procedures. If rules aren’t followed, what’s the point of having them in the first place?
When Afghanistan received their Test status in 2017, along with Ireland, the cricketing world – and indeed the wider global community – rejoiced. The cricketing world celebrated because, well, the Test cricket family had expanded. The wider world saw it as a step towards re-introducing Afghanistan to the global cultural family. But cricket nerds, of which I, unfortunately, am one, will point you towards a very specific and straightforward clause in the “Guide to Becoming a Test Cricket Nation” handbook. To be able to play Test cricket, an associate must, and I quote:
“An associate must also have participated in at least one Women’s Cricket World Cup or Women’s T20 World Cup over the previous four years and must currently feature on the ICC’s Women’s ODI ranking table.”
Now, some might see this and think, “Well, yes, Afghanistan don’t have a women’s team right now, but that’s because of the Taliban. You can’t blame the ACB for that.” Sure, I can understand why someone would see it that way, but that’s exactly the problem as it stands now. The reality is that Afghanistan have never really had a women’s cricket team. Not by the level of activity the ICC supposedly requires for full member status. Their women’s team has NEVER played in an ICC tournament. Ever. They’ve never featured on the ICC Women’s ODI ranking table. Ever.
While the ACB gave a group of women central contracts back in 2020, for all intents and purposes, they’ve never done anything more than hold cricket camps where participants catch a few balls and then go home. This is no disrespect to those women, but it’s hard not to argue that they were nothing more than political props used by the ACB to feign progress where none existed. It’s transparently clear that the ACB never met – and, in my opinion, never intended to meet – the requirements relating to women’s cricket. The only reason they received full member status is because they made a wonderful story for the ICC, and the ICC accepted a promise of progress as sufficient evidence.
The reason I bring this up is that this ability to have a foot in both worlds gives Afghanistan an unfair advantage. As some of you may know, the finances of cricket are a little peculiar. With the exception of a handful of nations, most cricket boards rely heavily on funding from the ICC. This means that the more money you can secure from the ICC, the more competitive you are likely to be. Under the current ICC revenue-sharing model, the ACB will receive $16.82 million (R320 million) per year. Ireland, by comparison, will receive $18 million (R342 million). However, where Ireland must divide their funds between the men’s and women’s teams, Afghanistan are essentially allowed – with the ICC’s implicit permission – to focus all their resources on the men’s team. Ireland, meanwhile, must use their funds to develop a pipeline of female cricketers, pay salaries, and increase administrative efforts to cover the women’s game. Realistically, Afghanistan should be an associate nation, receiving only a fraction of the funding they currently get.
There’s no easy solution to Afghanistan’s broader political troubles. After all, the Taliban were out of power for two decades and walked back into control as soon as the United States withdrew its forces. But even without addressing the political issues, their continued disregard for the rules that the ICC themselves established cannot be allowed to stand.
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