Afghan Women Cricketers Continue Fight for International Recognition After Taliban Exile

Benafsha Hashimi says the dream of representing Afghanistan on the international stage remains alive despite years of exile and uncertainty following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

Hashimi, who fled Afghanistan to Australia as an 18-year-old, was among the female cricketers contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board before women’s sports were effectively erased under Taliban rule.

Now living in exile alongside many of her former teammates, Hashimi has become one of the leading voices demanding recognition for Afghanistan’s displaced women cricketers from the International Cricket Council.

The Afghan women’s team in exile played its first official match last year in Melbourne as the Afghan Women XI, symbolizing resilience and resistance against restrictions imposed on women in Afghanistan.

Their hopes were reignited after FIFA officially recognized Afghanistan’s women’s football team in exile earlier this year. The move allowed Afghan female footballers to compete internationally without requiring approval from the Taliban-controlled Afghan football federation.

Hashimi said the cricketers celebrated the footballers’ success and immediately questioned why cricket’s governing body had not taken similar action.

“We want to be recognised, we want to get our rights, we want to play like other teams do,” Hashimi said while urging the ICC to follow FIFA’s example.

Afghan women cricketers have repeatedly criticized the ICC for failing to fully recognize them despite the Afghanistan Cricket Board retaining full ICC membership without operating a women’s program, a requirement generally expected from full-member nations.

Last year, the ICC announced a special support fund for the displaced Afghan players with assistance from the cricket boards of England, India and Australia. The initiative provided coaching, training facilities, and mentorship opportunities.

The players also traveled to India during the Women’s World Cup, where they trained, played friendly matches, and attended international fixtures. Hashimi described meeting Indian cricket stars Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues as an unforgettable experience.

This summer, the Afghanistan Refugee Women’s Team is scheduled to tour the United Kingdom and attend the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Despite those opportunities, uncertainty still surrounds the team’s long-term future.

Hashimi revealed that the players still do not know what support or pathway will remain after August and said the lack of clarity continues to frustrate the squad.

The young cricketer reflected on the personal struggles she faced long before fleeing Afghanistan. She said it took years to convince her family to allow her to play cricket in a society where opportunities for women were severely limited.

“When I signed my cricket contract, I couldn’t believe it,” she recalled. “Then the Taliban came in.”

Today, Hashimi continues to train in Australia while pursuing her dream of becoming an international cricketer. Inspired by stars such as Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alyssa Healy, she remains determined to fight for recognition and the right for Afghan women to represent their country again on the global cricket stage.

Courtesy: The guardian