Champions Cup: The European Central Bank confirms that England will play a match against Afghanistan amid calls to boycott

The Cricket Board of England and Wales (ECB) confirmed that the men’s men in England will play its role in the ICC Men’s Cup for 2025 against Afghanistan, scheduled for February 26 in Lahore, despite increasing calls for boycotting due to the severe persecution of women’s rights in Afghanistan under Taliban system. European Central Bank President Richard Thompson has acknowledged that the large -scale fears of gender discrimination in Afghanistan stressed the importance of coordinated international response instead of unilateral work.

There were increasing calls from various sections, including human rights activists and policy makers, so that England would take a position against Afghanistan’s participation in the Champions Cup by refusing to play their scheduled match.

Fears of the Taliban prohibit the women’s cricket and the broader restrictions on women’s rights, which the European Central Bank described “Apartheid Bank”.

However, after accurate deliberations, the European Central Bank’s board decided that boycotting the match would not be the most effective way to address the problem. Instead, the Board of Directors believes that the collective international effort of the cricket community will have a greater impact.

“We still see that the international response coordinated by the cricket community is the appropriate way to move forward and will achieve more than any one by one side by the European Central Bank in the boycott of this match,” said Thompson.

He also pointed out that for many Afghan citizens, watching their team in the cricket game provides one of the few remaining sources of joy, which confirms the complexity of the situation.

While confirming England’s participation in the match, the European Central Bank confirmed its commitment to support the Afghan cricket players who were displaced due to the Taliban policies.

Last week, the European Central Bank donated 100,000 pounds to the Global Refugee Crystate Fund, a joint initiative from Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and its charitable arm, MCC. This fund aims to help refugee cricket players all over the world, including those from Afghanistan who were forced to exile.

The European Central Bank also urged the International Crystate Council (ICC) to take stronger measures, and to propose measures such as allocating funds allocated to support the Afghan cricket list in exile.

In recognition of the Women’s Refugee Team in Afghanistan so that the displaced players can continue to compete at the international level and create paths for Afghan women to take over training and administrative roles and not available in this sport.

“The cricket community cannot address all the problems of Afghanistan,” Tomson admitted, “but we urge our international partners to stand together and appear through our actions that we support Afghanistan women and girls.”

England’s invitation to boycott its match against Afghanistan has gained momentum in early January after submitting a speech through the party, signed from about 200 UK politicians, to the England Council and Wales Cricket (ECB). The message urged England to refuse to play in protest against the Taliban Women’s Rights.

Labor Representative Tonia Anthony has confirmed that England players should use their influence to pay change. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sir Kerr Starmer stated that the government was participating with international partners in this regard. However, the Minister of Culture, Lisa Nandi, later opposed a province, arguing that such measures were “opposite results” and that the match should continue.

South Africa Cricket (CSA) also rejected a request from a British member of Parliament for the South African Men’s team to boycott their match against Afghanistan in the Champions Cup. CSA said that the decision to ban Afghanistan should be taken by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by NDTV and published from a common summary.)