On Thursday at the Junction Oval, a T20 match will be played by the Afghanistan Women’s cricket team who are refugees and currently living in Australia.
Nick Hockley, Chief executive of Australia cricket, has explained that this exhibition match of Afghanistan Women’s XI in Melbourne will be considered as the initial step towards their comeback in international cricket, describing it as a ‘real beacon of hope that will have global effects.
Before the opening day-night Women’s Ashes Test at the MCG in the afternoon, a group of Afghanistan women players living in Australia will play a T20 match against Cricket Without Borders XI at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Thursday morning.
After leaving their country due to the Taliban’s government, for the very first time they are getting an opportunity to play together as a team, while in Canberra some of team members are residing while remaining are settled in Melbourne.
On Monday at the Junction Oval, Hockley spoke alongwith two of the Afghanistan XI players, Nahida Sapan and Firooza Amiri, while Sapan declared as the captain for the match. Cricket Without Borders Chair Clare Cannon, Director Ken Jacobs and Australia’s Federal Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts were also present as the planning of the match has been a combined effort between Australian Government Cricket Without Borders and CA.
Hockley was hopeful that this match will be helpful for the Afghanistan Women’s team to get more opportunities to play in future. He also indicated that after the meeting of England captain Heather Knight with exiled female players of Afghanistan team in Melbourne in the start of this month, England and Wales Cricket Board are interested in helping them.
“I think this is a first step,” Hockley said. “We’ve got colleagues from the ECB coming out for the women’s Ashes, and there are conversations happening to support from England as well as from Australia. So I think the first piece is awareness. But I think it’s going to be such an exciting day on Thursday, and my hope is that promotes lots of conversations, that this becomes an annual thing and then ultimately, that this team were able to compete on the international stage as they want.”
“I don’t think any of us can comprehend what they’ve been through moving to a new country in such difficult circumstances, not speaking the language. I’m just inspired by their resilience, their love for the game and hopefully this game just raises awareness, a real beacon of hope.” He further added.
“I was privy to a moment where they got to see their playing shirts for the first time with their names and numbers on the back, and you can just see how much it means to them. So I really hope this is kind of the first step of a really successful journey for this group, but also that this match shines a light on the fact that in places around the world not every woman and girl has a chance to play.”
