The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that England’s men’s team will play their ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 match against Afghanistan on February 26 in Lahore. The decision comes despite growing calls for a boycott due to the Taliban’s oppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan.
ECB Chair Richard Thompson said the boycott calls, mainly from human rights activists and policymakers, are in protest of the Taliban’s ban on women’s cricket and other restrictions on women’s rights. However, after careful consideration, the ECB Board decided that a boycott would not be the best solution and believes a united international effort would be more effective.
In another update, George Bailey, chairman of the Australian team’s selection panel has confirmed that skipper Pat Cummins and pace bowler Josh Hazlewood have been officially ruled out of the tournament due to injuries. With Marcus Stoinis announcing his ODI retirement and Mitchell Marsh withdrawing because of a back injury, the Australian squad is now short-staffed.
