The ICC considers allocating funds for female athletes from Afghanistan

The idea of allocating funds for women in Afghanistan may be discussed this weekend in Colombo during the ICC’s annual conference, according to sources. After the ICC came under intense pressure to find a way to address the ACB’s failure to field a women’s squad, the same may be done.

Cricket Australia (CA) and New Zealand Cricket (NZC), in addition to the ICC, are reportedly going to talk about the potential of this move during the ICC Board meeting on Sunday.

As a full member of the ICC, the proposal might entail allocating a portion of the organization’s yearly earnings to the Afghanistan women’s cricket team.

Since many of the female Afghan cricket players had fled to Australia following the Taliban takeover, the issue has gained importance. They wrote to Greg Barclay, the chair of the International Cricket Council, requesting assistance in establishing a refugee squad for them.

Following the Taliban’s 2021 comeback to power, women’s rights in Afghanistan have suffered greatly as they are no longer allowed to participate in secondary education, employment, or sports. It’s also important to remember that the letter was written to Greg Barclay following the men’s team’s 2024 T20 World Cup semifinal appearance.

The 17 Afghani women have requested that the International Cricket Council acknowledge them as a refugee squad under the management of Cricket Australia’s East Asian Cricket Office. It’s interesting to note that Australia has declined to play bilateral cricket matches with Afghanistan until their women’s team is unable to participate. Despite frequent meetings during ICC competitions, there appears to be no movement in their bilateral relations.

Furthermore, the amount of money that each member should set aside for women’s cricket is not specified in the ICC’s annual revenue allocation to them, so determining the precise amount could be challenging.

According to the income model, the ICC pays the ACB USD 17 million a year; it is unknown how much of that sum will be set aside for women’s cricket in the nation.