New Zealand to Play Afghanistan in Test Match Despite Australia's Boycott Over Women's Rights Concerns

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has announced that it will proceed with a one-off Test match against Afghanistan in September, despite neighboring Australia's decision to boycott a series against the Taliban-ruled country due to concerns over the deteriorating human rights situation for women and girls. The venue for the New Zealand-Afghanistan Test match has not been revealed yet, but there is speculation it might take place in the United Arab Emirates.

Cricket Australia had called off its bilateral series against Afghanistan, citing the worsening conditions for women and girls in the country under Taliban rule. However, New Zealand Cricket has adopted a different approach, agreeing to play the away test in September and honoring their T20 World Cup fixture against Afghanistan in Guyana in June.

New Zealand Cricket's public affairs manager, Richard Boock, stated that the consensus view was that a boycott would not change anything in Afghanistan, and that it would be more constructive to keep dialogue and participation channels open while continuing to advocate for change. "NZC strongly believes that cricket is a game for everyone and would like to see greater support for the women's game in Afghanistan in the short to medium term," Boock said.

Why this matters: New Zealand's decision to engage with Afghanistan through cricket, despite human rights concerns, highlights the differing approaches nations are taking in their sporting relationships with the Taliban-ruled country. The move raises questions about the role of sports in advocating for change and the effectiveness of boycotts in influencing political and social issues.

Cricket has surged in popularity in Afghanistan in recent years, but under the Taliban's rule, women are effectively barred from the game. Afghanistan usually plays its 'home' fixtures at neutral venues, mainly in the UAE. In contrast to New Zealand, Australia has backed out of scheduled matches with Afghanistan on three different occasions in recent years, citing advice from the Australian government about the deteriorating conditions for women and girls in the country.

Key Takeaways

• NZ to play Afghanistan in a Test match despite Australia's boycott over human rights.
• NZ believes engaging through cricket can advocate for change more effectively than boycotts.
• Afghanistan usually plays home fixtures at neutral venues, mainly in the UAE.
• Australia has backed out of scheduled matches with Afghanistan over women's rights concerns.
• Cricket has surged in popularity in Afghanistan, but women are effectively barred under Taliban.