Champions Trophy: Afghanistan will ignore cricket boycott calls, says skipper Shahidi

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Feb 21, 2025, 14:00 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Afghanistan captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, declared that his team remains focused on the game despite international boycotts over the Taliban's policies on women's participation in cricket.

Champions Trophy: Afghanistan will ignore cricket boycott calls, says skipper Shahidi

Photo Credit: @ACBofficials on X

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi stated on Thursday that his team remains unaffected by international calls to boycott their Champions Trophy fixtures due to the Taliban government's policies towards women.
"We only control things inside the ground, that's our job," Shahidi said at the pre-match press conference in Karachi on Thursday. "The other things cannot put us under pressure."
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE!
The team begins their Champions Trophy campaign in Group B with the match against South Africa in Karachi on Friday.

Since the Taliban seized control in 2021, women have been barred from participating in sports, creating a conflict with ICC regulations while the men's side continues to compete internationally.
South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie endorsed British politicians' appeals for a playing boycott of Afghanistan in the previous month.
Also See: India vs Pakistan Head to Head Records | IND vs PAK Match Date and Time
While the England and Wales Cricket Board declined to boycott their Champions Trophy group fixture, they confirmed avoiding any bilateral series with Afghanistan.
Despite cancelling a Twenty20 international series and a Test against Afghanistan in the past two years, Australia, another Group B team, intends to play the Afghans in their Champions Trophy encounter.
Afghanistan will have their last two matches in Group B at Lahore, facing England on February 26 and Australia two days later.
"The whole world knows that we are playing well, especially in the last three years, so we are focused on our play," Shahidi said.

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article