Afghanistan women’s refugee team to tour England for T20 fixtures and Lord’s final
Afghanistan women’s refugee team to tour England from June 22 for T20 fixtures and to attend the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s on July 5 in the UK.
The Afghanistan women’s refugee team will travel to England next month for a series of Twenty20 matches, training sessions and to attend the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s, organisers confirmed on Thursday. The tour, beginning June 22, marks a major step in the players’ five-year effort to rebuild careers after being barred from sport following the Taliban’s takeover.
England tour schedule confirmed
The tour will include a number of T20 fixtures arranged by the England and Wales Cricket Board and a programme of coaching and community engagement activities. Players will also be guests at the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s on July 5, offering public visibility at one of the sport’s highest-profile events.
Match dates and specific opponents are being finalised, with the ECB describing the itinerary as a mixture of competitive fixtures and opportunities for the players to train with English coaches. The board said the arrangements aim to provide match practice while showcasing the team on a prominent international stage.
Players’ exile and resettlement
Many members of the squad were previously contracted to the Afghanistan Cricket Board and left the country after a systematic exclusion of women from public life and sport. A number relocated to Australia, where they continued to play in domestic competitions but were unable to represent Afghanistan in international cricket.
The gap in international status has left the players in a limbo, continuing their development away from the national pathway. The chance to tour England gives them rare continuity in team competition and public acknowledgment after years of disruption.
Support from cricket figures and organisations
The tour has been organised with support from a consultancy called It’s Game On, co-founded by former Australia international Mel Jones, who has been an outspoken advocate for their cause. Jones praised the players’ resilience and urged cricket bodies to provide more sustained opportunities for women whose careers were interrupted.
Clare Connor, deputy chief executive of the ECB, said the board felt it had a responsibility to stand for inclusion and provide platforms for the athletes. The ECB framed the visit as both a sporting programme and a statement in favour of women’s participation in sport.
Campaigns for ICC recognition
The displaced Afghan women have repeatedly petitioned the International Cricket Council to recognise them as a refugee side, a status that would allow participation in international fixtures outside the governance of the Afghanistan Cricket Board. ICC rules require member boards to support both men’s and women’s teams, but political realities in Afghanistan have complicated direct national representation.
Advocates argue that formal recognition would create a clear pathway back into international competition and protect the players’ right to compete. The tour to England is being viewed by campaigners as a pragmatic interim measure while discussions with global governing bodies continue.
Implications for women’s cricket and inclusion
Cricket administrators say the tour carries cultural importance beyond the results on the field, framing it as an example of sport exercising influence in defence of inclusion. Observers say the visibility at the World Cup final will draw attention to the wider issues facing female athletes under restrictive regimes.
Still, voices within the game stress that a single tour cannot substitute for long-term structural change. Calls for sustained investment, regular fixtures and formal status for the players remain central to advocates’ demands.
The England tour follows years of grassroots work and advocacy to keep the players in the game, with domestic competitions in resettlement countries providing vital playing time. Organisers hope the visit will open doors to further international opportunities and help maintain the squad’s competitiveness.
The tour is scheduled to start on June 22 and culminate with attendance at the World Cup final on July 5, offering both competitive and symbolic milestones for a group of players who have endured exile and uncertainty.