Cricket Australia reiterated their stance on bilateral cricket with the Afghanistan Cricket Board on Wednesday, July 3. Cricket Australia continue to maintain its 'no bilateral cricket with Afghanistan' policy after the Taliban government's unfair stance on women's rights in recent years.
Australian cricket team withdrew from their scheduled bilateral series with Afghanistan on various occasions in the last couple of years but continues to play against them in the ICC events. Australia suffered an embarrassing 27-run loss against Afghanistan in the Super 8 fixture of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 last month and that triggered many to propose a bilateral cricket between the two nations soon.
The veteran Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja also termed Cricket Australia's stance as 'a little bit hypocritical' after the team failed to reach the semi-finals of the recent World Cup. But the CA's chief executive Nick Hockley revealed no 'bilateral cricket with Afghanistan' despite having a close and regular dialogue with the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
"They [Afghanistan] had a fantastic tournament with phenomenal players, and they played with great passion and spirit," CA CEO Hockley said. "Regarding our bilateral matches, we have consulted extensively with stakeholders, including the Australian government, and chose to postpone our last couple of series with the Afghanistan Cricket Board on human-rights grounds."
Hockley further added that Cricket Australia hope for progress from the Afghanistan Cricket Board to resume bilateral cricket in the future.
"We maintain a close relationship and regular dialogue with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and want to see cricket thrive worldwide for both men and women," Hockley added. "We hope for a level of progress, and continue to discuss and maintain contact with the Afghanistan Cricket Board, aiming to resume bilateral cricket against Afghanistan at some point in the future."
Australia have played Afghanistan in six white-ball matches (four ODIs and two T20Is), all on neutral venues and are yet to meet in Test cricket.
