Afghan Women's Cricket Team Secures International Support, Meets King

In 2021, Afghanistan cricketer Benafsha Hashimi's life was under threat just for playing the sport she loves.

The Taliban's brutal regime had returned to power; women who played sport were being hunted down and murdered.

Five years after fleeing their homeland Hashimi and the rest of the Afghan women's team have earned the respect of the international sporting community, secured their playing future, and met the King.

"It was a magical day," Hashimi said.

"Who would believe the girl who was starving for days, [whose] family had nothing, no money, no power … today she's meeting the King?"

The royal audience came during the team's recent playing tour of England, the latest victory during a hard-fought campaign for recognition that extends beyond the pitch.

The team first wrote to the International Cricket Council (ICC) appealing for help in December 2022.

This week the ICC announced continued funding for the team alongside a promise to play in qualification events by 2030.

'We can represent our country'

The announcement represents a massive victory for the team and a significant moment in the sport's history.

Cricket Australia is one of the members of a "special taskforce" that will oversee the players' development.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are also members.

The group will seek to "balance to the imperatives of exposure, representation and enhanced competitive standards for the women," the ICC said in a statement.

Pathway to compete in qualification events

Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg said details of the "collaborative effort" to fund the team were still being worked on with the ICC.

"Money needs to be ploughed in at the base of this program to ensure its longevity and success over a period of time," he said.

This week's announcement includes a promise for a "pathway" to compete in as yet unspecified ICC qualification events in the next five years.

The T20 format will feature at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and there's an expectation within the sport that this will extend to Brisbane in 2032.

Team unrecognised back home

The Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Cricket Board does not recognise the team, creating an administrative barrier for the ICC in the past.

ECB Deputy CEO Clare Connor told the ABC the decision was an "excellent outcome" for the team.

"The players first wrote a letter to ICC asking for leadership and a solution," the former England captain said.

Their first letter received no response, so they kept writing.

Cricket itself would provide a turning point with an exhibition match in Melbourne at the start of last year drew international media attention.

The tenacity and strength of the women combined with the power of their stories drew the admiration of the sporting world.

"These women are nothing short of phenomenal," Mr Greenberg said.

"I see them as leaders, as incredible human beings who've been through some very difficult moments in their life, some that are very hard for people in our country to comprehend.

Funding for more coaching

In the months that followed the inaugural fixture, the ICC announced an 'Afghanistan women's cricket initiative' to provide monetary support to the players and fund a high-performance sporting program.

This new taskforce will oversee a continuation of that program, with Independent ICC director Dr Ros Rivaz and Cricket Ireland CEO Sarah Keane at the helm.

The program will deliver "structured coaching, meaningful competitive opportunities and appropriate high-performance pathways," Dr Rivas said in the ICC's statement.

"This programme reflects the ICC's commitment to fostering opportunity through cricket … [it will be] delivered with purpose, integrity and long-term sustainability."

The team's recent tour of England, plus training camps in Australia and India, were funded by the previous iteration of the elite pathways program.

While the players are still waiting on details on how the program will work, bowler Shafiqa Khan said they were as determined as ever.

"That's why today we are here, and we play together."