An Afghanistan stint in the upcoming ICC Champions’ Trophy is “immoral” as South Africa’s minister urges their team to boycott their match.
Visit M88Sports for more cricket news and other updates.
Check out M88 Mansion’s best offers here.
AFGHANISTAN STINT IN ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2025 ‘HYPOCRITICAL AND IMMORAL’
An Afghanistan stint in next month’s ICC Champions’ Trophy 2025, South African Minister Gayton McKenzie said, would be “hypocritical and immoral.”
Furthermore, the minister urged South Africa’s Proteas squad to boycott their fixture against Afghanistan in Pakistan.
Moreover, organizers have scheduled the two teams to face each other in the opener at Karachi on February 21.
McKenzie cited Afghanistan’s decision to ban women’s sports in their country and disbanding the women’s cricket team as basis for the boycott.
The minister also compared the Taliban regime’s treatment of women in the country to Apartheid.
SOUTH AFRICAN MINISTER’S STAND ADDS TO GROWING CALLS TO BOYCOTT FIXTURE
Moreover, the South African minister’s stand adds to earlier calls by British ministers to boycott the fixture.
Furthermore, some 160 British politicians called on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott the Afghanistan-South Africa match.
“It is not for me as the Sports Minister to make the final decision on whether South Africa should honor cricketing fixtures against Afghanistan,” McKenzie said.
“If it was my decision, then it would certainly not happen,” he added.
His statements came as he said the International Cricket Council (ICC) does not “tolerate political interference in the administration of sport.”
ICC SAYS AFGHAN CRICKET BOARD NOT LIABLE FOR ITS GOVERNMENT’S POLICIES
Furthermore, the ICC says the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is not liable for its national government’s policies.
Moreover, an ICC spokesman will not be compelled to punish the ACB or Afghan cricketers.
“The ICC will not penalize ACB, or its players, for abiding by the laws set by the government of their country,” the ICC spokesman said.
“We will continue to constructively use our influence to assist the ACB in developing cricket,” he added.
Meanwhile, the ECB and Cricket Australia are determined not to engage with Afghanistan in bilateral contests.
