London, February 7, 2025 – The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has dismissed calls from British politicians to boycott their Champions Trophy 2025 match against Afghanistan. The demand arose due to concerns over the Taliban’s treatment of women, but the ECB maintained that forfeiting the game was not a viable option.
ECB chief Richard Gould stated that isolating Afghan cricket could have negative consequences, potentially reinforcing Taliban control. He reiterated the board’s stance against bilateral matches with Afghanistan while supporting a broader ICC-led effort to address human rights concerns. England remains committed to playing the fixture as scheduled.
