ICC's Initiative to Aid Afghan Female Cricketers

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the establishment of a dedicated taskforce to support female cricketers from Afghanistan. Many of the leading players fled after the Taliban's return to power in 2021, and female participation in sport was effectively banned. The ECB, Cricket Australia, and the BCCI will assist with the project. The ICC will set up a fund and a high-performance program to ensure their continued pursuit of the game.

ECB chief executive Richard Gould expressed pride in supporting the initiative. The ICC requires its full members, including Afghanistan, to have a national women's team. Despite calls for a boycott, England's game against Afghanistan at the tournament went ahead as scheduled.