Australia postpones its first ever test match against Afghanistan

On Friday, Australia postponed a first-ever cricket Test against Afghanistan, amid fears the country’s ruling Taliban regime has banned women from playing the sport. Australia’s cricketing authorities told after consultation with relevant stakeholders it was decided the men’s Test, to be played in Hobart this month, would not go ahead as planned. After ousting Afghanistan’s elected government in August, senior Taliban leaders told Afghan women would no longer play cricket or any other sport. Under the regime’s hardline reading of Islamic law, women are also barred from going to school and from other public roles.

Senior Australian cricketers indicated they would like to see the Test canceled if the de facto ban on women’s cricket stayed in place. Afghanistan’s men are presently playing in the T20 World Cup but have been warned they face an international ban if the country fails to field a side at the upcoming women’s World Cup in New Zealand. Cricket Australia said I was, committed to supporting growing the game for women and men in Afghanistan and around the world.