MCC launches fund for Afghan women's cricket refugees

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced the launch of the Global Refugee Cricket Fund, with Afghanistan's exiled women cricketers as its first beneficiaries. This initiative aims to raise one million pounds to provide safe training facilities, educational opportunities, and growth pathways for displaced communities, particularly those affected by the Taliban's restrictions on women. Many athletes fled Afghanistan after the Taliban regained power in 2021, and the women’s cricket team remains unfunded and unsupported by the International Cricket Council, unlike their male counterparts. The fund has already received backing from the England and Wales Cricket Board, emphasizing the need for the cricket community to support these players. MCC secretary Rob Lynch highlighted cricket's potential to inspire and unite, while calls for boycotts of matches against Afghanistan have emerged in response to the Taliban's oppressive policies. The initiative reflects a broader commitment to leveraging cricket as a force for good globally.