ACB Stand Firm and Advocate for Politics-Free Cricket

ACB Stand Firm and Advocate for Politics-Free Cricket

Kabul: March 20, 2024: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) expresses disappointment over Cricket Australia’s decision to postpone yet another bilateral series against Afghanistan and reiterates its stance on neutral and politics-free cricket across the globe.

ACB advocates for keeping cricket distinct from political influence, considering the game’s significance in Afghanistan and its connection to the happiness and joy of the Afghan Nation.

ACB acknowledges the pressures faced by Cricket Australia from the Australian Government, and emphasizes on the importance of addressing such issues through collaborative efforts between the two cricket boards.

The ACB also urges the Australian government not to impose its policies on cricket boards and instead focus on supporting the development of cricket across regions.

ACB’s top management had previously engaged in negotiations with Cricket Australia and proposed exploring alternative solutions instead of publicly announcing withdrawals. ACB expresses disappointment over CA’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan for the third time.

The three-match T20I series was part of AfghanAtalan’s FTP for the ICC 2023-2027 International Calender, which was approved by the ICC in the presence of the CA delegation, who had agreed to the fixtures at the time.

This recent withdrawal follows Cricket Australia’s previous actions, including withdrawing from a one-off test match against Afghanistan in 2021 and refusing to play Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series in March 2023 due to government influence.

ACB urges Cricket Australia to respect and understand its position as a Full Member nation and look for alternative solutions rather than succumbing to external pressures and/or political influences.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board remains committed to negotiating with the International Cricket Council, Cricket Australia, & other full member countries and adhering to ICC principles to ensure cricket remains free from political influence and supported by all parties involved.