England should take a moral stand against the Taliban by refusing to play against Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy next month, according to Piers Morgan.
Brendon McCullum’s side are among the eight teams taking part in the 50-over competition, which is being hosted in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates between February 19 to March 9. The tournament will be played amid a background of global politics, with India playing Pakistan in the neutral venue of Dubai after refusing to travel to their neighbours.
England have been drawn in Group B with Australia, South Africa and Afghanistan and are scheduled to face the latter on February 26 in Lahore. But they are already coming under pressure to boycott the fixture due to the Taliban’s appalling treatment of women.
The group took over running the country in August 2021 and have overseen a major deterioration in the rights for women. Among other draconian rules, women are barred from leaving their homes without a male relative, must wear full veils in public and are not allowed to speak publicly or complete any higher education.
Activists have urged England to boycott their match against Afghanistan to send a message to the country’s rulers and Morgan has now had his say.
He tweeted: “The @englandcricket men’s team must cancel their match against Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy group stage on Feb 26. The Taliban’s disgusting and ever-worsening oppression of Afghan women, including banning them from all sport, is unconscionable. Time we took a stand.”
His comments follow those from the Women’s Rights Network, who called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to support a blanket boycott of Afghanistan across all sports. “Pride in the team shirt includes pride in your country’s record on standing up for human rights and against dictators who bask in the kudos of sporting success,” the group wrote.
“What is happening to the women of Afghanistan is appalling. Any sportsman of conscience should do what is right: Boycott Afghanistan. Players and coaches must examine their consciences. How can you in all conscience play a country that denies women their basic human rights?”
Afghanistan’s women’s cricket team fled the country following the Taliban takeover in 2021 and no longer compete internationally. The men continue to compete – and excel – and famously beat England at the last World Cup and Australia in the T20 version last year.
Some of the male cricketers have stood up against the Taliban, with star spinner Rashid Khan urging the Taliban to reverse a decision to bar women from education and medicine. “It is essential for our sisters and mothers to have access to care provided by medical professionals who truly understand their needs,” he said in December.
“Providing education to all is not just a societal responsibility but a moral obligation deeply rooted in our faith and values.”
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