Why Scotland Is Limiting Afghanistan Cricket Contacts

Cricket Scotland has taken a firm position on future matches with Afghanistan, but it has stopped short of a complete sporting boycott. The board will not arrange men’s bilateral fixtures outside International Cricket Council events because of concerns about the Taliban government’s treatment of women and girls.

The policy followed growing international criticism of Afghanistan’s restrictions on women’s sport. Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, women’s participation in cricket has effectively disappeared, while many female Afghan cricketers have left the country for their safety.

Scotland’s decision follows a wider international concern

Before announcing its position, Cricket Scotland faced the same difficult question confronting other national boards: whether normal cricketing relationships can continue while women and girls remain excluded from sport in Afghanistan.

The board concluded that it could not proactively organize cricket with Afghanistan’s men’s team under the current circumstances. Its position covers bilateral series, standalone matches and tri-series, and it will remain in place unless there is a significant improvement in Afghanistan’s women’s cricket situation and broader human rights record.

This is not a rejection of Afghanistan’s players or their achievements on the field. The men’s team has become one of international cricket’s most competitive sides, with outstanding spin bowlers, aggressive batters and a growing presence in major tournaments. Scotland’s decision instead targets the wider sporting relationship and the political conditions surrounding it.

ICC tournaments remain an important exception

Scotland will still face Afghanistan when the ICC’s competition regulations place the teams in the same tournament. That could include a World Cup, a qualifying competition, or another officially sanctioned event. The board has also indicated that ICC-governed warm-up fixtures remain possible.

This distinction separates scheduled tournament obligations from optional bilateral arrangements. National boards have limited control over opponents in an ICC event, whereas they can choose whether to organize a tour, invite another team or enter a tri-series.

Scotland therefore considers participation in an ICC fixture a sporting requirement rather than an expression of political support. The board has made clear that appearing against Afghanistan in such a match must not be viewed as approval of the Taliban government or its policies.

Women’s cricket drives the policy

The central issue is the loss of meaningful opportunities for Afghan women and girls. Cricket Scotland has linked its decision to its commitment to expanding participation in women’s and girls’ cricket, as well as to the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

That position reflects a broader concern across the sport. Continuing to arrange regular men’s cricket could create the impression that Afghanistan’s cricket system is operating normally, even though women have been denied comparable access to the game.

Scotland’s approach does not claim that cancelling matches will immediately restore women’s cricket in Afghanistan. Instead, the board is using its control over bilateral scheduling to maintain pressure and avoid treating the current situation as acceptable.

England and Australia have taken similar steps

Scotland is not acting alone. The England and Wales Cricket Board has declined to schedule bilateral men’s cricket against Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power, while Cricket Australia has also suspended bilateral cricket relations with the country.

Those boards continue to distinguish between optional series and ICC competitions. England and Australia can still meet Afghanistan in tournaments governed by the international body, but they have avoided creating separate bilateral programmes.

Scotland’s decision adds another national board to that growing pattern. Rather than adopting a universal ban on every Afghanistan-related fixture, these boards are creating a limited form of sporting separation based on the type of match involved.

George Munsey’s APL involvement depends on approval

The policy also affects the possible participation of Scottish players in the Afghanistan Premier League. George Munsey was the only Scottish player selected in the league’s recent draft, giving him a potential opportunity to play franchise cricket in the competition.

Cricket Scotland has said it may issue Munsey a No Objection Certificate, but the tournament must first receive ICC sanction. The APL’s approval process includes standards involving areas such as anti-corruption and anti-doping, and sanction had not yet been granted when the players were selected.

This conditional approach shows that Scotland is not preventing every individual association with Afghan cricket. Instead, it is assessing whether an event has the necessary international approval before permitting a contracted Scottish player to take part.

If the certificate is issued, Munsey’s participation would not represent an endorsement of the Taliban government or its policies. The same separation between sporting involvement and political approval applies to the board’s position on ICC fixtures.

For now, Scotland’s outcome is clear: it will not independently arrange bilateral or tri-series cricket with Afghanistan’s men’s team, while ICC tournament matches remain part of its obligations. Individual appearances in approved overseas competitions may still be possible, but only after the relevant conditions are met.