Ganguly reappointed Chairman of Men’s Cricket Committee; task force formed to support displaced Afghan women cricketers
The International Cricket Council (ICC) will form a dedicated task force to support the displaced Afghanistan women cricketers. ICC chairman Jay Shah made the announcement on Sunday. The apex cricket body has joined forces with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Cricket Australia (CA) to help the women cricketers in Afghanistan.
The ICC will now assist the women cricketers in Afghanistan in their cricketing and personal development journeys.
A dedicated fund will also be established to provide direct monetary assistance to Afghanistan’s women cricketers. A robust high-performance programme will also be launched, offering advanced coaching, world-class facilities, and tailored mentorship to help them reach their full potential.
“At the International Cricket Council, we are deeply committed to fostering inclusivity and ensuring every cricketer has the opportunity to shine, regardless of their circumstances. In collaboration with our valued partners, we are proud to launch this task force and support fund, complemented by a comprehensive high-performance programme, to ensure displaced Afghan women cricketers can continue their journey in the sport,” Jay Shah said in an official statement.
“This initiative reflects our steadfast dedication to cricket’s global growth and its power to inspire unity, resilience, and hope,” he added.
Earlier, Human Rights Watch had urged the ICC to suspend Afghanistan and ban the Taliban-ruled country from competing in international cricket.
“We are writing at this time to urge the International Cricket Council (ICC) to suspend Taliban-run Afghanistan from ICC membership and from participating in international cricket until women and girls can once again participate in education and sport in the country,” the email to Jay Shah said, as reported by ESPNCricinfo.
For the uninitiated, ever since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021, women in the country have been forced to follow several restrictive ranges of laws barring them from playing sports.
Before the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had agreed to contract 25 women’s players, most of whom now live in exile in Australia.
Temba Bavuma appointed to Men’s Cricket Committee
The ICC also confirmed the appointment of Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s Test and ODI captain, to the Men’s Cricket Committee. Along with Bavuma, Afghanistan’s head coach, Jonathan Trott, has also been appointed.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has been reappointed as the Chairman of the Men’s Cricket Committee.
On the other hand, Avril Fahey and Pholetsi Moseki have been appointed to the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee.
Here is the full list of appointments:
ICC Women’s Cricket Committee: Catherine Campbell (re-appointed), Avril Fahey and Pholetsi Moseki.
ICC Men’s Cricket Committee: Sourav Ganguly was re-appointed as Chair, and Hamid Hassan, Desmond Haynes, Temba Bavuma, VVS Laxman (re-appointment) and Jonathan Trott were appointed to the Committee.