"Unfair and unexpected" - Afghanistan upset by Cricket Australia's decision to cancel ODI series

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has condemned Cricket Australia's decision to cancel their three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in March following the India tour. The board issued a statement, terming it as unfair and negatively impacting the growth and development of the sport in the country.

Earlier on Thursday, Cricket Australia (CA) withdrew the men's team from a three-game ODI rubber against the Asian country in the UAE after consulting with their government. The reason is apparently because the Taliban government in Afghanistan banning university education for girls and prohibiting women from taking up sports.

The ACB slammed CA's decision to politicise the sport via a detailed statement and fears it would impact the nation's love and passion for the game. It added that cricket has played an integral role in bringing normalcy to the country and uniting everyone amid times of hardship. The statement said:

"Cricket Australia's decision to withdraw from upcoming matches against Afghanistan is coming after consultation and potential enforcement from the Australian Government, which is an unfortunate attempt to enter the realm of politics and politicise the sport. The decision to withdraw from playing the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan is unfair and unexpected, and will have a negative impact on the development and growth of cricket in the country as well as affect the love and passion of the Afghan nation for the game."

It continued:

"Cricket has played a significant role in promoting unity and national pride in the country. After years of war and conflict, cricket has helped to bring people together and provide a sense of normalcy to the country. It has also been an important source of hope and inspiration for all Afghans, particularly young people. In addition, Cricket (sic) has also been an important tool for promoting education and social development in the country."

The likes of Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq and Hashmatullah Shahidi have also criticised CA's decision and hinted at rethinking their future in the Big Bash League (BBL).

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"Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has been working to promote cricket in schools and universities"

Fazalhaq Farooqi (centre) (Credits: Getty)

The ACB added that cricket has emerged as an important tool to discourage youngsters from treading the wrong way.

Their statement said:

"The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has been working to promote cricket in schools and universities, and it has also been using the sport to promote healthy lifestyles and discourage young people from getting involved in drugs and crime. Cricket has been an important tool for promoting peace, unity and development in Afghanistan, and it will continue to be a source of inspiration and hope for the people of the country in the years to come."

This is the second time in two years the CA has cancelled a bilateral series against Afghanistan due to the Taliban government's policies on women after postponing the one-off Test in Hobart, scheduled for November 2021.

However, Australia faced the sub-continent nation in the T20 World Cup 2022 and are slated to meet them in the future tour cycle in 2024 and 2026.