Ireland’s decision to stage a full one-day international series for their men’s team against Afghanistan this summer could cost them lucrative future fixtures against England. The first ODI of the series will take place in Bready on Wednesday, with all five matches scheduled in Northern Ireland.
England refuse to face Afghanistan due to the Taliban regime, and the England and Wales Cricket Board is understood to be unhappy about Ireland’s series taking place. ECB chair Richard Thompson has described the Taliban’s rule as “gender apartheid”, and England only play Afghanistan outside ICC global events because of that position.
Cricket Ireland, however, has taken a different view and has developed close relations with the Afghanistan Cricket Board. In return for the five ODIs this month, Ireland will tour Afghanistan next March for one Test, three one-day internationals and three T20 fixtures.
England played a one-off Test against Ireland at Lord’s as preparation for both the 2019 and 2023 home series, but the ECB has opted for a warmup Test against Bangladesh instead next year. The ECB’s policy is backed by the UK government.
England’s men played Afghanistan in a Champions Trophy group game in Lahore last year after a specially convened ECB board meeting approved the fixture. That decision was criticised strongly by a cross-party group of 160 MPs, who had urged them to withdraw in a joint letter.
The ECB will not schedule any bilateral cricket against Afghanistan, but this summer it organised a tour of England for the Afghan Refugee Women’s team and invited them to the T20 World Cup final at Lord’s. The Afghanistan women players fled the country, with the majority relocating to Australia after the Taliban retook control in 2021 and enforced a ban on female sport.
Afghanistan are the only ICC full member not to operate a women’s cricket programme, though the world governing body has not banned them. Australia, South Africa and New Zealand also refuse to play Afghanistan in bilateral series, while Ireland joins West Indies, Zimbabwe and the four Asian ICC full members in granting them fixtures.
The ECB’s relationship with Cricket Ireland has been delicate for some time. England have declined an invitation to join a proposed new Euro Nations Cup tournament involving Scotland, the Netherlands and Italy next year because of their congested calendar.
While England’s men played three T20 internationals in Ireland last September, the ECB sent a second-string team and there are no more matches in the calendar. England’s women, however, will host Ireland in a three-match one-day international series next month.
How does this affect England’s future schedule with Ireland?
England’s refusal to play Afghanistan bilaterally, combined with Ireland’s willingness to do so, adds another point of tension to the relationship between the boards. The article says this could cost Ireland lucrative future fixtures against England, even though the two sides have met in limited-overs and Test cricket before.
Why is the Afghanistan series controversial?
The series is controversial because England, backed by the UK government, will not play Afghanistan outside ICC global events in response to the Taliban regime and its treatment of women and girls. Cricket Ireland has chosen to maintain bilateral ties with Afghanistan instead, including the current five-match ODI series in Northern Ireland and the reciprocal tour to Afghanistan next March.
What other fixtures show the difference in policy?
The ECB’s stance has produced different touring arrangements across the international calendar. England are sending a warmup Test against Bangladesh next year rather than Ireland, and while England’s men played Afghanistan at last year’s Champions Trophy, they have ruled out bilateral cricket against them. By contrast, Ireland is providing Afghanistan with five ODIs this month and will travel there next March for a Test, three ODIs and three T20s.
How have other teams responded to Afghanistan?
Responses vary across the international game. Australia, South Africa and New Zealand also refuse to play Afghanistan in bilateral series, while West Indies, Zimbabwe and the four Asian ICC full members continue to grant them fixtures. Afghanistan remain the only ICC full member without a women’s cricket programme, although the ICC has not banned the side.
What is the wider background to England and Ireland’s cricket relationship?
The ECB’s relationship with Cricket Ireland has been delicate for some time, including England’s decision not to join a proposed new Euro Nations Cup tournament next year. That event would also have involved Scotland, the Netherlands and Italy, but England declined because of their congested calendar.
England’s men did play three T20 internationals in Ireland last September, but the ECB sent a second-string team and there are no further men’s matches in the calendar. England’s women will, however, host Ireland in a three-match one-day international series next month.
“gender apartheid”
England refuse to face Afghanistan due to Taliban regime
First ODI of series will take place in Bready on Wednesday
Key Facts
- Ireland are hosting five men’s ODIs against Afghanistan, all in Northern Ireland, with the first in Bready on Wednesday.
- England do not play Afghanistan bilaterally because of the Taliban regime, a policy backed by the UK government.
- Cricket Ireland will tour Afghanistan next March for one Test, three ODIs and three T20 fixtures.
- The ECB is understood to be unhappy and the row could affect future England fixtures for Ireland.
- England’s women will host Ireland in a three-match ODI series next month.
