ICC Won't Cut Funding to Afghanistan - Despite Board Not Meeting Full Membership Criteria Over Lack of Women's Team

The Afghanistan cricket team are, in many ways, one of the sport's biggest inspirational stories while also being a team that retains their full ICC membership despite clearly flouting the rules. 

This is because ICC rules state that all full-member nations must have a women's team - and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) doesn't field a women's team any more. 

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The nation has been under Taliban rule since 2021 and that has led to a huge crackdown in women's rights in the nation, including curbing of sporting teams for them. 

And while an initiative was announced by the ICC to support the displaced women Afghanistan players, any talks of giving the team some of the money that the ICC gives to the ACB has been denied. 

How ICC Is Supporting Afghanistan's Women Cricketers

The initiative will see the ICC team up with Cricket Australia (CA), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in order to fund the women's cricketers. 

The ICC cannot recognise any women's team of Afghanistan cricketers since that will require the approval of the ACB and that is unlikely to be forthcoming. 

"The ICC does not select a team for Afghanistan. Rather, we are committed to addressing the complexities of the issue and finding a solution that fits within the ICC's legal and constitutional framework," an ICC spokesperson said.

But the initiatives will include a high-performance programme offering "advanced coaching, world-class facilities and tailored mentorship" which the ICC hopes will "help them reach their full potential". 

Is This Enough?

Yet given the latest move does not amount either to official recognition nor does it make a pathway for the players to play official games, it seems like a neutral move at best. 

However, this is the ICC's first step in four years and the hope is it will be the start of something substantial for the women cricketers of Afghanistan.