Exiled but not forgotten: Afghan women’s cricket team reunites in Australia after fleeing Taliban rule

Afghanistan's women's cricket team played their first match in three years on 30 January, reuniting in Melbourne for a charity fixture after fleeing the Taliban's rule.

Captain Nahida Sapan described the occasion as more than just a game, calling it "a movement for change."

Since the Taliban's return to power in august 2021, hundreds of female athletes have left Afghanistan, escaping restrictions that effectively banned women from sport and education. Most of the national women's cricket team settled in Australia, where they came together again to take on an invitational XI representing Cricket Without Borders at Melbourne's Junction Oval.

"Together, we're building not just a team, we're building a movement for change and promise," Sapan said before the match. "We have big hopes for this match because it can open doors for Afghan women – for education, sport, and the future."

The Afghanistan Cricket Board had taken a significant step in November 2020 by awarding professional contracts to 25 women, but before they could play an official match, the Taliban's takeover led to an immediate ban on women's cricket.

Struggles and resilience

For Firooza Amiri, playing again was both a triumph and a painful reminder of what had been lost. "We have sacrificed a lot to be here today," she said after the match. "The situation in Afghanistan is terrible. Women don't have their rights.

"I can live freely in Australia and live my life the way I want, but back home in Afghanistan... it is very heartbreaking and very hard to live in that situation."

Diana Barakzai, a key figure in founding Afghanistan's first women's cricket programme nearly 20 years ago, called the match an "amazing moment" and hoped it would send a strong message.

"I'm sure it's a big message for the world, that the world will do something for Afghan women," she told AFP. "Especially for opening the school doors, opening up work for women."

Of the 25 players once contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board, 22 are now living in Melbourne and Canberra. Some have pushed the International Cricket Council (ICC) to recognise a refugee team, allowing them to compete under an official banner.

"A profound sadness remains that we, as women, cannot represent our country like the male cricketers," some players wrote in a joint letter last year.

Despite their appeals, the ICC has not yet responded to their requests.

A competitive return to the field

The match, played at Junction Oval – where a young Shane Warne once honed his skills – saw the Afghan XI bat first, setting a target of 103 runs in 20 overs. They were narrowly defeated with four balls to spare.

Shazia Zazai, the team's former captain, top-scored with 40 from 45 deliveries.

Cricket Australia backed the match, with chief executive Nick Hockley pledging to advocate for Afghan women's cricket at the highest levels.

"I'm just so proud of everyone across Australian cricket who's worked to support the players since they've been in Australia," Hockley said earlier this week.

Australia has taken a strong stance against Afghanistan's policies on women, refusing to play bilateral matches against the men's team due to human rights concerns. However, this match provided a glimmer of hope for Afghan women's cricket, proving that despite the obstacles, their journey is far from over.