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'Saddened By Plight Of Women...': Jos Buttler On England's Boycott Calls Vs Afghanistan

Soumyajit Dutta

Jos Buttler [Source: @wtf_tmkc/X.com]Jos Buttler [Source: @wtf_tmkc/X.com]

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England captain Jos Buttler expressed gratitude to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for taking charge of the decision to play against Afghanistan in their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Group B match in Lahore, amid calls to boycott the game in protest against the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s rights.  

Earlier, more than 160 UK politicians urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott their match against Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy on grounds of women's oppression and the Taliban's decision to not field a women's cricket team for the country. However, Jos Buttler reassured that the match is going to take place.

Buttler's Call On Boycott Fiasco

In a recent interaction, Buttler expressed his thoughts ahead of the game and hoped for an enjoyable and positive outcome in the game.

"We're very saddened by the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan at the moment and the struggles they are facing. But we hope that the game tomorrow can be a source of hope and enjoyment in what is obviously a tough time. We're excited about the match. Sport has a great power to unite people and give hope, and that’s what we hope this game will do," Buttler said.

Earlier, the ECB faced pressure to boycott the fixture urging them to forfeit the match and send a "strong message" to Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government, which has barred women from sports, education, and medical training since seizing power in 2021. 

Australia has previously boycotted bilateral series against Afghanistan but faced them in ICC events, a stance the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) criticized as "succumbing to political pressure."  

Buttler emphasized that the ECB provided players with guidance, calling it an "ECB decision" rather than leaving it to the squad. 

"I'm taking a lot of advice from lots of experts. Credit to Rob Key and the ECB. They’ve been very, very good at supporting me and all the players, providing us with information and education around this."

High Intensity Clash At Rawalpindi

Meanwhile, both teams enter the match desperate for a win after losing their tournament openers. England fell to Australia, while Afghanistan suffered a defeat, leaving their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread.

The do-or-die clash is hosted by the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Pakistan and the winning team will get close to securing their place in the semis, especially after the abandoned match between South Africa and Australia on February 25.