Afghanistan refugee women's cricket team to tour England from June 22
Synopsis
For the first time since the Taliban banned women from sport in Afghanistan in 2021, the exiled women's cricket team will play on English soil — training, competing in T20s, and attending the ICC Women's T20 World Cup final at Lord's. It is a powerful symbol, but advocates warn that symbolic gestures must translate into a sustained global support structure.
Key Takeaways
The ECB will host the Afghanistan refugee women's cricket team for a tour of England beginning 22 June 2026 .
The squad will attend the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 final at Lord's on 5 July 2026 .
The tour is organised in partnership with the MCC , MCC Foundation , and advocacy group It's Game On .
More than 20 Afghanistan women's cricketers have resettled in Australia since 2021 , playing their first competitive match in Melbourne in January 2025 .
The ICC established a task force — backed by the ECB , Cricket Australia , and BCCI — to support displaced Afghan female cricketers, with a dedicated fund whose long-term future remains uncertain.
Afghanistan retains full ICC membership despite fielding no women's team domestically since the Taliban's return in 2021 .
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Thursday, 21 May announced it will host the Afghanistan refugee women's cricket team for a landmark tour of England beginning 22 June, with the squad also invited to attend the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 final at Lord's on 5 July. The tour marks a significant moment for players who have been barred from sport in Afghanistan since the Taliban's return to power in 2021.
What the Tour Involves
The itinerary, developed through a partnership between the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the MCC Foundation, includes high-quality training sessions and T20 matches. The programme has been designed in collaboration with advocacy group It's Game On, with the aim of providing both competitive exposure and meaningful cricketing experiences for the displaced players.
What the ECB Said
Clare Connor, ECB Deputy CEO and Managing Director of England Women, said the players had demonstrated extraordinary resilience since being displaced. 'Since being displaced from Afghanistan in 2021, these players have shown extraordinary resilience in continuing their cricket journeys, in incredibly challenging circumstances,' she said. Connor added: 'Cricket has a responsibility to stand for inclusion and opportunity, and we are proud to be hosting this tour and supporting the players in deepening their connection to the game.'
Background: Exile, Resilience, and Global Support
More than 20 members of the Afghanistan women's cricket team have resettled in Australia since 2021, playing their first competitive match in Melbourne in January 2025. Members of the squad were also present in India during the 2025 ODI World Cup. The International Cricket Council (ICC) last year established a dedicated task force — supported by the ECB, Cricket Australia, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) — to assist displaced Afghan female cricketers, alongside a fund for direct financial support, though its long-term future reportedly remains uncertain.
Calls for Sustained Action
Mel Jones, former Australian cricketer and co-founder of It's Game On, welcomed the tour but stressed that more systemic support is needed. 'This tour is a major step forward, but also highlights how much work remains. They deserve more opportunities like this; they deserve to be recognised as part of the global cricket community. Moments like this matter, but we need to see plans for sustained and meaningful action beyond this year,' she said.
The Wider Governance Question
Afghanistan remains a full member of the ICC, which mandates that national boards field women's teams — yet the men's side has retained its Test status despite the absence of a functioning women's programme. Notably, in April 2026, FIFA cleared Afghanistan's return to international women's football, a development hailed as a breakthrough for exiled players. Critics argue that cricket's governing body faces growing pressure to reconcile its membership obligations with the on-ground reality in Afghanistan.
Point of View
But it exposes a structural contradiction at the heart of cricket governance: Afghanistan holds full ICC membership — and Test status for its men — while its women are barred from playing at home. The ICC task force and support fund are steps forward, but their uncertain long-term funding signals that institutional commitment remains fragile. FIFA's April clearance of Afghanistan for women's football raises the pressure on cricket's administrators to move from symbolic tours to enforceable membership conditions. Until ICC membership criteria carry real consequences, the burden of keeping these players connected to the game will continue to fall on goodwill rather than governance.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Afghanistan refugee women's cricket team tour England?
The tour begins on 22 June 2026. The squad will also attend the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 final at Lord's on 5 July 2026.
Who has organised the Afghanistan refugee women's cricket tour?
The tour is a joint initiative between the ECB, the MCC, the MCC Foundation, and advocacy group It's Game On. ECB Deputy CEO Clare Connor confirmed the partnership in the official announcement.
Why is the Afghanistan women's cricket team playing as refugees?
Women have been excluded from sport in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. More than 20 members of the squad subsequently resettled in Australia, where they played their first competitive match in Melbourne in January 2025.
What is the ICC doing to support displaced Afghan women cricketers?
The ICC established a dedicated task force, supported by the ECB, Cricket Australia, and the BCCI, to assist displaced Afghan female cricketers. A financial support fund was also created, though its long-term future reportedly remains uncertain.
Does Afghanistan still hold ICC membership despite banning women's cricket?
Yes, Afghanistan remains a full ICC member, which technically requires national boards to field women's teams. The men's side has retained its Test status despite the absence of a women's programme since 2021, a situation critics argue the ICC has yet to address decisively.
