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Afghanistan Captain Hashmatullah Refuses To Challenge Ban On Women’s Cricket

Aakash Saini

Hashmatullah Shahidi [Source: @hashmatshahidi50/Instagram]Hashmatullah Shahidi [Source: @hashmatshahidi50/Instagram]

Hashmatullah Shahidi has voiced his support for women’s cricket in Afghanistan. Currently in Pakistan for the ongoing 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, the 30-year-old stated his opinion prior to Afghanistan’s all-important Group B match against England.

It is worth noting that women’s cricket has been banned in Afghanistan ever since Taliban took over control of the country back in 2021. However, earlier this year, an Afghanistan women’s group played an exhibition match in Melbourne, Australia against ‘Cricket Without Borders’.

Hashmatullah Shahidi supports women’s cricket

In a conversation during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan and in the UAE, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi indirectly voiced his support for women’s cricket back home. However, Shahidi also admitted that as a cricket player, he cannot interfere in his nation’s politics. He said:

“Everyone likes to see everyone play. When it comes to politics and those things which we cannot control, we are only cricket players. We are sportspersons.”

The ban on women’s cricket in Afghanistan has drawn widespread criticism within the sporting fraternity all over the world. Notably, Cricket Australia has cancelled multiple bilateral series against Afghanistan to protest against the ban on women’s cricket.

Moreover, politicians from England and South Africa considered boycotting their Group B match of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy against Afghanistan. However, both matches went ahead as scheduled in Pakistan. Afghanistan team, led by captain Hashmatullah Shahidi lost its opening match of the tournament to South Africa by 107 runs in Karachi on February 21.

The women’s cricket in Afghanistan, on the other hand, received a major boost earlier this year courtesy of the Australian government and Cricket Australia. A group of several Afghanistan women’s players, seeking refuge in Australia for the past few years, got together to play an exhibition match against ‘Cricket Without Borders’ team in Melbourne.