CI (Cricket Ireland) recently came forward and announced a five-game ODI series against Afghanistan. It is worth noting that the bilateral series has been announced despite the boardโs moral discomfort over the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls.
Interestingly, other international sides like Australia and England have often cancelled their bilateral series against Afghanistan since the Taliban regained power in 2021. However, Ireland’s menโs team will be taking on the side across five ODI matches from August 5 to 14.ย
CI’s chief executive, Sarah Keane, revealed that the board has given invites to the Afghanistan womenโs team, who are exiled to play their fixtures in Ireland. She also defended the decision to host the menโs team as well.ย
“Cricket Ireland has made a decision to play Afghanistan in Belfast this year. I’m not going to fob you off by saying that there’s financial reasons and there’s legal reasons. There aren’t. This has been a decision by Cricket Ireland in what it believes is the best interest of the organisation as a whole, and the decision was made by the board this week,โ Keane was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.ย
Keane talked about Afghanistan regime and their treatment of women
Furthermore, Sarah Keane acknowledged the moral discomfort that the entire Cricket Ireland board feels over the treatment of women and girls by the Afghanistan regime. However, she claimed that the same could be used as an opportunity to help the Afghanistan womenโs side.ย
“I want to acknowledge up front the moral discomfort that I think we all sit with around this decision and are clear abhorrence of how the regime treats women in particular, but we also see it very much as an opportunity to reference the Afghan women’s team, the displaced team,โ she added.
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