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Cricket Australia postpones Afghanistan Test match

Cricket Australia (CA) has postponed this month’s one-off men’s Test match with Afghanistan until the situation in the Taliban-ruled country becomes “clearer”.

Cricket Australia (CA) had already made clear in September it would not go ahead with the game if the Taliban didn’t allow women to participate in the sport.

Australia were scheduled to host their inaugural Test against Afghanistan in Hobart from November 26 ahead of the Ashes series with England, which begins in Brisbane on December 8.

Under the Taliban regime, Afghan women would be banned from playing cricket or sport, an official in the hard-line group said in September.

“CA is committed to support growing the game for women and men in Afghanistan and around the world, however, given the present uncertainty, CA felt it necessary to postpone the Test match until a later time when the situation is clearer,” CA said in a statement.

“CA looks forward to hosting Afghanistan players in the BBL this season, who are great ambassadors for the game, and to hosting both the Afghanistan women’s and men’s team in the not too distant future.”

Under the International Cricket Council rules, all 12 full members must have a national women’s team, with only full members able to play Test matches.

In November 2020, 25 female cricketers were awarded contracts by the Afghanistan Cricket Board.

As a result of the postponement, an extended Australian squad will now play an internal three-day match from December 1 at Redlands in Brisbane to continue their preparations for the Ashes series.

England’s touring squad will also play at Redlands, with a three-day warm-up match against the England Lions to begin on November 23, before a four-day match at Ian Healy Oval, also in Brisbane, is held from November 30 to December 3.

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