England's men's players have the "power" to
make their own stand and refuse to play Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy,
according to Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) met with
Antoniazzi on Tuesday after she sent a cross-party letter to the governing
body, signed by nearly 200 UK politicians, which called on the ECB to boycott
the fixture.
Those UK politicians want the team to refuse to play the
50-over match in Lahore on 26 February in response to the Taliban regime's
assault on women's rights.
Women's participation in sport has effectively been outlawed
since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, and many of Afghanistan's female
cricketers left the country for their own safety.
In the wake of her meeting with the ECB, where the governing
body maintained its non-committal position on a boycott, Antoniazzi told OceanNewsUK that England's players can choose to make their own stand on the issue.
"The power lies in the team. The power lies in the
people that play the sport. The power lies with them - it's in their
hands," the MP for Gower said.
"How big is England cricket? It's huge. They have a
huge standing in the world of sport and they do have an influence, and I want
them to realise that that influence is what they should use to make a
difference."
The Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) declined to
comment on the prospect of individual England players potentially boycotting
the fixture, but told OceanNewsUK it is "an extremely complex issue".
A spokesperson said: "The PCA is appalled at the
abhorrent treatment of the women and girls under the Taliban regime in
Afghanistan.
"The PCA continues to engage with the ECB and the World
Cricketers' Association on the matter."
As the matter relates to individual player views the ECB did
not feel it was appropriate to comment.
International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations state full
membership is conditional upon having women's cricket teams and pathway
structures in place.
However, Afghanistan's men's team have been allowed to
participate in ICC tournaments seemingly without any sanctions.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould said on Monday the
ECB will engage with the UK government, other international boards and the ICC
to "explore all possible avenues for meaningful change", but
acknowledged there were "diverse perspectives" on the subject.
"We understand the concerns raised by those who believe
that a boycott of men's cricket could inadvertently support the Taliban's
efforts to suppress freedoms and isolate Afghan society," Gould said.
"It's crucial to recognise the importance of cricket as
a source of hope and positivity for many Afghans, including those displaced
from the country."
Antoniazzi felt the ECB's non-committal response to a
boycott "didn't show any sort of backbone", and was critical when
asked about Gould's comments on men's cricket providing hope in Afghanistan.
She added: "What about women? Where is the hope for the
women? Where's the hope for women that want to play sport, want to go to
school, that want to be able to work? Where is the hope for them?
"This is a bigger issue around sex-apartheid that I
feel very strongly about. I do hope that they can see their way to making
strides and speaking out".
ICC should 'deliver on its own rules' - PM
Gould also urged "a coordinated, ICC-wide
approach" on Monday, which he felt would be "more impactful than
unilateral actions by individual members", and said the ECB would
"actively advocate" on "further international action".
The prime minister's official spokesperson said Sir Keir
Starmer welcomed the ECB "making representations" to the ICC.
He agreed cricket had been a "beacon of hope" for
Afghanistan, but the ICC should "clearly deliver on its own rules"
that state countries should have both men and women's teams.
OceanNewsUK has approached the ICC for comment.
More than 20 Afghan women's cricketers managed to leave the
country after the Taliban's return to power and are currently living in
Australia.
England have played Afghanistan three times in one-day
internationals and T20 internationals - all at ICC events - and lost their most
recent meeting at the 2023 50-over World Cup.
Pakistan and neutral venue Dubai will host the eight-team
Champions Trophy from 19 February to 9 March. Australia and South Africa join
England and Afghanistan in Group B, while Pakistan, India, New Zealand and
Bangladesh meet in Group A.
