Sport

ICC expecting findings of study into women’s cricket in Afghanistan

Published

4 years ago

April 8, 2022

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will receive a report back from its working group into the issue of Afghanistan women’s cricket within the next two days.

Women’s cricket in Afghanistan has faced an uncertain future after the Islamic Emirate took over the country in August last year.

An IEA official’s comment that women would be banned from playing cricket led to calls for Afghanistan to be culled from the 2021 T20 Men’s World Cup and sparked debate over whether their Full Membership should be stripped.

Cricket Australia also postponed last November’s historic men’s Test with Afghanistan over the issue.

But Afghanistan has continued playing international cricket and the ICC has preferred to wait until a working group tasked with investigating the situation provided its findings.

ESPNcricinfo reported that the working group, in its only recommendation, has found 33-year-old Afghanistan all-rounder Mirwais Ashraf’s appointment as chairman to be in compliance with the ACB and ICC constitutions. If accepted by the board then Ashraf will become an ICC board director.

Ashraf replaced Azizullah Fazli who was in charge for just two months.

“There needs to be stability within ACB,” a former ACB official who was interviewed by the working group, told ESPNcricinfo. “The chairman is meant to be in the role for three years. There needs to be clear directions (by the ICC) to the government that the constitution and procedures need to be met.

“I told them (working group) that Afghanistan cricket shouldn’t be sabotaged because of the Taliban’s takeover of the country.”

Development and pathway structures for women’s cricket are part of strict criteria for Full Membership. When Afghanistan received it in 2017, an exemption was invoked on the provison that they take active measures to develop women’s cricket. Before the IEA’s takeover, the ACB had announced central contracts for a pool of women cricketers though they were still some way off fielding a team.

Former ACB Chairman Azizullah Fazli, however, said in October last year that there was officially no ban on women’s sport, especially women’s cricket.

“They (IEA) have no problem with women taking part in sport. We’ve not been asked to stop women from playing cricket. We’ve had a women’s team for 18 years, although it wasn’t a major team, we’re not on that level yet,” Fazli had said.

“There is no way to know if women’s cricket is developing there right now,” an official familiar with the situation said. “The ACB is saying that women are still allowed to play. Indication is that the ACB is trying. Every country has an obligation to develop women’s cricket.”

“Women’s cricket was moving in the right direction prior to the situation changing,” McCollum told ESPNcricinfo. “The priority is to make sure their players are still available and can play. It’s a difficult situation. Afghanistan is complex.”

Ross McCollum, a member of the working group, told ESPNcricinfo that women’s cricket had been “moving in the right direction prior to the situation changing.”

“The priority is to make sure their players are still available and can play. It’s a difficult situation. Afghanistan is complex,” McCollum said.

Related Topics:Cricket featured ICC Sports

Up Next

Afghan para-swimming sensation scoops gold for first time as American citizen

Don't Miss

Younis Khan, Umar Gul named as consultants of Afghan cricket team

Sport

Early medal leaders emerge as Winter Olympics continue in Italy

Published

1 day ago

February 9, 2026

Ariana News

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games continued to build momentum over the weekend as the early medal race took shape and athletes delivered standout performances across venues in northern Italy.

After the first days of competition, Italy, Japan and Norway sit among the early leaders on the medal table, each with three medals apiece, including one gold, one silver and one bronze. Sweden follows with two medals, while Switzerland, Slovenia, Canada and China have each secured one medal so far.

Host nation Italy provided one of the Games’ early highlights with its first gold medal, sparking celebrations among home supporters and boosting confidence as competition intensifies.

Elsewhere, traditional winter sports powerhouses have begun asserting themselves in disciplines including speed skating, alpine skiing and cross-country skiing, while team sports such as curling and ice hockey are settling into early round-robin play.

Attention now turns to Monday’s schedule, which features another full day of competition and several medal events. Athletes are set to compete across alpine skiing, speed skating, luge, cross-country skiing and figure skating, while preliminary and group-stage action continues in curling and ice hockey.

With qualification battles tightening, results on Monday are expected to further reshape the standings.

As the Winter Games move deeper into their opening week, storylines are rapidly emerging around defending champions, rising stars and nations looking to build early momentum in the medal race.

Ariana Television holds the exclusive rights to broadcast Winter Olympic events across Afghanistan, providing live coverage to viewers nationwide throughout the Games.

Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana News and Ariana Television’s social media pages for updated schedules, programming information, highlights and results as the competition continues in Milan and Cortina.

Sport

Champions League Elite action continues as qualification race tightens

Published

1 day ago

February 9, 2026

Ariana News

The AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 returns with an action-packed slate of matches today as top Asian clubs continue their battle for qualification in the league stage of the continent’s premier club competition.

With the margin for error narrowing, teams across the region are expected to approach today’s fixtures with urgency as the race toward the knockout rounds intensifies.

Monday’s scheduled matches include:

Al-Wahda vs Al AhliNasaf Qarshi vs Al-ShortaAl Duhail vs SharjahShabab Al-Ahli vs Al Hilal

The fixtures bring together established continental contenders and ambitious challengers, promising a day of tactical contests, attacking football and high-stakes drama as clubs look to strengthen their positions in the standings.

All Champions League Elite matches scheduled for today, February 9, will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television, giving fans across Afghanistan and the region full access to Asia’s top club football action.

Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana News and Ariana Television’s social media pages for updated match schedules, kickoff times and programming information, as well as highlights and post-match coverage.

As the road to continental glory continues, today’s Champions League Elite fixtures are expected to deliver another compelling chapter in the 2025/26 season.

Sport

New Zealand cruise past Afghanistan by five wickets in T20 World Cup

Despite the strong batting display, Afghanistan struggled to contain New Zealand’s deep and aggressive batting lineup.

Published

2 days ago

February 8, 2026

Ariana News

New Zealand produced a confident all-round performance to defeat Afghanistan by five wickets, chasing down a target of 183 with 13 balls to spare in their first match of the T20 World Cup in India’s Chennai on Sunday.

Afghanistan, batting first, posted a competitive 182 for 6 from their 20 overs, built around a powerful knock from Gulbadin Naib, who top-scored with 63 off 35 balls. Naib’s innings, laced with clean hitting and smart placement, gave Afghanistan much-needed momentum after a mixed start. Contributions from Rahmanullah Gurbaz (27) and Sediqullah Atal (29) helped steady the innings, while late runs pushed the total beyond the 180 mark.

Despite the strong batting display, Afghanistan struggled to contain New Zealand’s deep and aggressive batting lineup.

New Zealand’s chase was anchored by Tim Seifert, who set the tone at the top with a fluent 65 off 42 balls, attacking both pace and spin with ease. Although early wickets fell, Glenn Phillips swung the match decisively with a blistering 42 off 25 deliveries, keeping the required run rate firmly in check.

The middle order ensured there were no late jitters, with Daryl Mitchell (25 not out) and captain Mitchell Santner (17 not out) calmly guiding the team home in 17.5 overs, finishing at 183 for 5.

Afghanistan’s bowlers found moments of success, particularly Mujeeb Ur Rahman, but were unable to apply sustained pressure as New Zealand consistently found boundaries during key phases of the chase.

Afghanistan will face South Africa in their next match on Wednesday.