From Streets to the Pitch: Afghan Women’s Cricket Team Reignite Their Dream
- yang zhao
- 6 hours ago
- 1 min read
Photo :AIPS
From Streets to the Pitch: Afghan Women’s Cricket Team Reignite Their Dream
On April 13, 2025, the journey of the exiled Afghan women’s cricket team took a hopeful turn as the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced a dedicated support fund. In collaboration with the cricket boards of India, England, and Australia, ICC will provide high-performance training and development opportunities to the team that fled the Taliban more than three years ago. Team captain Nahida Sapan called the announcement “a big hope” — not just for them, but for Afghan women everywhere.
After the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 and the ban on women’s sports, most of the national squad resettled in Australia, where they have long called for recognition. In January, the team played their first match in exile in Melbourne — a deeply emotional moment that brought many to tears.
The ICC says the new initiative is aimed at helping the players continue pursuing their dreams. Before the recent IOC presidential election, candidate Kirsty Coventry had pledged to raise the issue with the ICC. Her promise has now taken form — and the team’s long fight for visibility is finally seeing results.
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