English cricketers like Ollie Pope and Luke Wood have officially registered for the upcoming Afghanistan Premier League draft, which is set to be staged in the United Arab Emirates later this year. This move comes despite the England and Wales Cricket Board’s outright refusal to schedule bilateral men’s cricket matches against Afghanistan. Why the hold-up from the ECB? It all boils down to the Taliban’s horrific treatment of women and girls.
The Players Are In, But The Board’s Policy Stands Tall
So, Pope and Wood aren’t alone here, by the way. Other English players like Moeen Ali, Reece Topley, James Vince, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, and Laurie Evans have also thrown their names into the hat for the draft happening in October. Here’s the kicker: even though the ECB won’t play Afghanistan head-to-head, their policy doesn’t extend to franchise tournaments. That means these guys can make their own call. The ECB is even likely to grant them the No Objection Certificates (NOCs) they need, as long as the International Cricket Council (ICC) sanctions the tournament. Right now, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has applied to the ICC for that approval, and it’s currently under review. Talk about a moral tightrope, huh?
“Gender Apartheid” and the Loudest Warnings
Let’s not mince words here. Richard Thompson, the ECB chair, actually used the term “gender apartheid” last year to describe the systematic oppression of women and girls in Afghanistan. And he’s not wrong. When England and Afghanistan last faced off in the 2025 Champions Trophy, there were calls to boycott the game, with 200 MPs signing a letter to the ECB. Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, who led those calls, is now telling BBC Sport that any player thinking about the APL needs to seriously weigh the consequences. “Why are we here again?” she asked, flat out. “Women and girls in Afghanistan are denied the same rights as those in our country, and the women’s team lives in exile. Does that not concern the players, especially those with daughters, sisters or mothers?” She’s hoping the ICC shuts this whole thing down, arguing that allowing Afghanistan full-member status just makes a mockery of its own criteria. Amnesty International’s Felix Jakens piled on too, urging players to really think about playing for a board from a country that has “erased women and girls from public life.” Since 2021, Afghan women have been banned from sports, and girls can’t get an education past age 11. What kind of message does that send, seriously?
The five-team APL is set to kick off on December 27th, and Irish players Jai Moondra and Scottish player Brandon McMullen are also in the draft mix. With the ICC still considering the tournament’s approval, and the Afghan women’s refugee team playing on with ICC, England, India, and Australia’s funding, the stakes here are absolutely massive. What message will be sent if these players get the green light? We’ll all be watching to see how this plays out in the coming months.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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