An exiled Afghan women's refugee cricket team will tour the United Kingdom this June to campaign for international recognition [1, 2].
The tour represents a critical effort by athletes to regain a place in global sports after the Taliban banned women's sport in Afghanistan. By seeking recognition from the International Cricket Council (ICC), the team aims to compete on equal terms with other national sides [1, 4].
Led by Benafsha Hashimi, the players resettled in Australia after fleeing Afghanistan in 2021 [1]. Hashimi was 18 years old when she left her home country [1]. The group has spent approximately five years working toward eligibility for international competitions [5].
The upcoming itinerary includes a visit to the historic Lord's Cricket Ground in London [1, 2, 3]. Following the June tour, the team is scheduled to make a guest appearance at the World Cup final in July 2026 [2].
There are conflicting reports regarding the team's current legal status within the sport. Some reports indicate the team is still seeking official ICC recognition and has not yet been granted eligibility to compete as the national side for Afghanistan [1]. Other reports suggest the refugee team has already been granted eligibility for certain international competitions [5].
Despite these administrative hurdles, the players continue to advocate for the right to represent their nation in exile. The tour is intended to raise global awareness of the restrictions placed on women in Afghanistan, and to pressure sporting bodies to provide a formal pathway for the athletes to return to professional play [1, 4].
“The team is still seeking ICC recognition and has not yet been granted eligibility to compete as Afghanistan's national side.”
The struggle for ICC recognition highlights a growing tension between international sports governing bodies and the political realities of regimes that ban female participation. If the ICC grants the refugee team national status, it sets a precedent for how 'government-in-exile' sports teams are treated, potentially decoupling national sporting identity from the control of the current ruling regime in a country's capital.
