Afghanistan's Exiled Women Cricketers Attend Women's World Cup Opener in India

As India gears up to face Sri Lanka in the opening fixture of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati, attention will not only be on the action on the field, but also on a unique group of spectators in the stands — the exiled women cricketers of Afghanistan.

Living in exile in Australia since the Taliban takeover in 2021, a group of Afghan women cricketers has arrived in India as part of a quiet but significant effort by the ICC and its member boards to support their continued involvement in the sport. While the players do not officially represent Afghanistan due to the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) being unable to sanction a women's team, they are actively involved in club and league cricket in Australia.

The Afghanistan players will attend the opening match in Guwahati as spectators, marking one of the first efforts to reintegrate them into the global cricketing landscape. Assam Cricket Association (ACA) President Taranga Gogoi confirmed preparations are being made to host the players. “They will be here tomorrow and we will make arrangements for that,” Gogoi said, noting that BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is overseeing the initiative.

Although there has been no formal announcement from the ICC, their presence in India is part of a broader support plan that includes training opportunities, mentorship, and limited match exposure. In April, the ICC revealed plans to create a “dedicated task force” for the support of Afghan women cricketers, with financial backing from the BCCI (India), ECB (England), and CA (Australia). However, specific details — including funding figures — have not been disclosed.

The idea to bring Afghanistan’s exiled female cricketers to the World Cup was reportedly finalized at the ICC’s annual conference in July. The initial plan included a training camp in Bengaluru, fixtures against Indian domestic sides, and attendance at select World Cup matches. While their match participation is still expected to go ahead, their World Cup attendance may be limited to the opening game.

The ICC's cautious handling of the initiative is believed to stem from concerns over potential backlash from the Taliban-led Afghan government, which has systematically excluded women from public life since 2021. Women in Afghanistan currently face severe restrictions, including bans on education, public gatherings, and professional activities. Though the ACB had contracted 25 women cricketers in 2020, it has been unable to field or recognize a women's national team since the regime change.

Most of the players now live in Australia, with others based in the UK and Canada. Visa challenges prevented a few from making the trip to India, but many of them previously featured in a symbolic exhibition match between an Afghanistan XI and Cricket Without Borders in Melbourne in January 2025.

Their presence at the Women’s World Cup serves as both a quiet protest and a powerful reminder of their ongoing fight to play the game they love — despite being stripped of recognition in their homeland.