ICC, BCCI, ECB, CA Support Displaced Afghan Women Cricketers

The International Cricket Council (ICC), with financial support from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Cricket Australia (CA), has established a dedicated fund to assist exiled Afghan women cricketers who fled Afghanistan after the Taliban banned women’s sports. This initiative will provide coaching, mentorship, education funding, and access to cricket for displaced players, many of whom are now based in Australia, the UK, and Canada. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) will not contribute to or lose any of its ICC funding for this program, as it remains unable to field a women’s team under current Taliban restrictions. While the ICC’s effort does not amount to official recognition of a national team, it aims to preserve the sporting careers of Afghan women and support their rehabilitation and integration into new communities. The move has been welcomed by the exiled players, who see it as a hopeful step for the future of Afghan women's cricket. Non-profit organizations and local cricket associations in Australia have already been instrumental in supporting these athletes, with recent exhibition matches highlighting their resilience and talent.