The Afghanistan national women's cricket team is the team that represents the country of Afghanistan in international women's cricket matches. The team was formed in 2010, drawing on players mostly from Kabul. Although the team is yet to play representative cricket, it had been scheduled to take part in the 2011 ACC Women’s Twenty20 in Kuwait, which ran from 17 – 25 February. The team was forced the withdraw from the tournament before travelling to Kuwait due to elements in Afghanistan opposing women's participation in sport In 2012, they participated in a 6 team tournament in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, they became Champions by winning four matches and tying one.
Afghanistan are set to get their first women's national team, to participate in an international Twenty20 tournament organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) next year. Women have increasingly taken up careers in sport since the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2001, and the tournament in Kuwait next year marks another step forward for Afghanistan cricket. More than 100 women play the game in Kabul and several have attended umpiring courses, and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) plans to organise a local competition to shortlist players for the tournament. The team uniform will reportedly include a headscarf or hijab, as per Islamic tradition. Women's cricket provides an opportunity for Afghan young women to be fit and have healthier and more active lives, Hamid Shinwari, the ACB chief executive, said. The ACB has a strong commitment to developing the game for women in a way that is good for them and, at the same time, respects our Islamic and Afghan values.
Women's cricket will build self-esteem, leadership and positive values for young women in our country, just as it is doing for young men.
This development is so exciting for our young women cricketers and their families and supporters, Diana, the women's cricket development officer at the ACB, said in a statement. We love our country and hope to support it through our sport. Seeing a women's cricket team in the Asian Cup will do so much to raise the hopes of many women here.
The men's national team has made rapid strides, having qualifyied for the World Twenty20 in 2010 and gained ODI status.
Afghanistan | |
Captain | vacant |
First international | |
vs Tajikistan in Dushanbe, 2012 | |
Team list - Not available now | |
Governing Body
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is the official governing body of the sport of cricket in Afghanistan. Its current headquarters is in Kabul, Afghanistan. The ACB is Afghanistan's representative at the International Cricket Council and is an affiliate member and has been a member of that body since 2001. It is also a member of the Asian Cricket Council.
Ana just wants to play cricket. That may sound simple enough, but, for women in Afghanistan, little is. The fledgling Afghan women’s cricket squad have been labelled prostitutes and preached against by imams. The recent beheading of a teenage girl after her father rejected a marriage proposal highlighted the appalling conditions still faced by Afghan women. Implementation of an anti-violence law, designed to protect women fromdomestic abuse, forced marriage, and even murder “remained low”, according to a 2012 UN report. Cultural restraints, social norms and taboos... and at times, threat to life prevents anti-women violence from being reported in Afghanistan.
Yet a band of female Afghans aim to show that women can play cricket – and ultimately, that they are worthy of wider equal rights.
Diana Barakzai, 23, is the captain of the women’s national side. Although they have yet to play their first official match – a planned tour to Thailand last month was cancelled due for what the chief executive of Afghan Cricket described as “political reasons” – the story is already a remarkable one. Diana and her three sisters, who are all keen players and International Cricket Council qualified coaches, learned to play as refugees in Pakistan, having fled from the Taliban. Since returning to Kabul in 2009, they have tried to encourage other women to take up cricket.
Despite the difficulties, the potential of women’s cricket to galvanize wider female progress in Afghan society has been recognized by some unlikely bodies. UNICEF hosted a camp for 140 female cricketers in 2010, and the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan has also helped to build cricket pitches in schools.
Official figures show there are now almost 4000 registered female players. A large number of these will only play at camps for a few days a year, but this nevertheless gives the sport a platform from which to develop: it is already easily the most popular women’s sport in Afghanistan. In October 2012, an eight-team women’s cricket tournament was held between Afghan girls’ school teams.
The CEO of Afghan Cricket, Noor Muhammmad, explains how women’s cricket can overcome its opposition. “It needs long term planning including a clear strategy, to convey the message to the community that we will strictly follow up all religious rules for women cricket.” Female players observe hijab dress, playing in headscarves, long trousers and shirts. The ultimate aim is for the women’s side to be as successful as the men’s team. As recently as 2008, the Afghanistan men’s side was ranked no higher than Jersey; last year they faced England and India in the World Twenty20 tournament, featuring the 12 best sides in the world. Diana – who could captain the women’s side in their first official match within a year - is inspired by the men’s success, and believes that, with similar help, the women could achieve something similar. If we also receive support, then I am sure we can have a brilliant women’s cricket team in the near future.
