Jos Buttler Rejects Calls for England to Boycott Afghanistan Match

skynet — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 16:15:37 +0000

England captain Jos Buttler has dismissed calls for a boycott of their Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan next month, stating that the game should go ahead despite political concerns.

Why Is There a Call for Boycott?

A cross-party letter, signed by nearly 200 UK politicians, was sent to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), urging them to refuse to play against Afghanistan. This move comes in response to the Taliban regime’s crackdown on women’s rights, including a ban on female participation in sports since their return to power in 2021.

Jos Buttler’s Stand on the Issue

Speaking on the matter for the first time, Jos Buttler said:

“Political situations like this… as a player you’re trying to be as informed as you can be.
“The experts know a lot more about it, so I’ve been trying to stay in dialogue with Rob Key [ECB managing director of men’s cricket] and the guys above to see how they see it.
“I don’t think a boycott is the way to go about it.“

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Government and Cricket Authorities’ Responses

Calls for a boycott intensified in January when the cross-party letter was sent. Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi urged England’s players to use their influence to bring about change. However, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that the UK government was discussing the issue with international counterparts. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy opposed the boycott, stating:

“Boycotts are counterproductive. They deny sports fans the opportunity they love and unfairly penalize athletes who have worked extremely hard to reach the top.”

ICC’s Stance on Afghanistan’s Participation

The International Cricket Council (ICC) requires full member nations to have women’s cricket teams and development structures in place. However, Afghanistan’s men’s team has continued to compete in ICC events without facing sanctions.

The ICC believes in using cricket as a tool for change rather than punishing players for government policies. However, ECB chief executive Richard Gould urged the ICC to take stronger action, calling the situation in Afghanistan “gender apartheid.” While he stopped short of demanding an immediate boycott, he insisted the ICC should place an “immediate condition” on Afghanistan’s full membership to ensure women’s cricket is supported by a specific deadline.

Buttler: ‘I’m Led by the Experts’

England, who faced Afghanistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup, are currently in India for a white-ball tour starting Wednesday. They are set to play Afghanistan in Lahore on 26 February, with the Champions Trophy beginning on 19 February in Pakistan and Dubai.

“The players haven’t worried too much about it,” Buttler said.
“We’re trying to educate ourselves on the issue, and I’ve read up on it and spoken to experts to gather their opinions. I’m led by those experts on situations like this.
“As players, we don’t want political issues to affect sport.
“We hope to go to the Champions Trophy, play our games, and have a great tournament.”

This ongoing debate continues to highlight the intersection of sports and politics, with many calling for stronger accountability measures from the ICC regarding Afghanistan’s stance on women’s cricket.

ENG vs AFG LIVE SCORE, Cricket World Cup 2023: Ben Stokes’ return in focus

skynet — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 08:16:19 +0000

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Eng vs Afg Playing 11: All eyes once again will be on Ben Stokes‘ return to Cricket World Cup.

In Match 13 of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, England will lock horns with Afghanistan at Arun Jaitley Stadium, formerly known as Motera Stadium, on Sundary (October 15). England came back to winning ways after losing the opener while Afghanistan still have to register their first win. England would not just look for a victory against Afghanistan but would also want to win the match handsomely to boost their net run rate (NRR), which took a beating in their opener. Moeen Ali is not likely to return to England Playing 11 as Delhi has been assisting pacers this world cup. However, all eyes once again will be on Ben Stokes’ return to Cricket World Cup. He failed to recover from knee injury as he missed the first two games. Afghanistan could make changes in their Playing 11 to find a balance the side.

Check ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 points table here

England vs Afghanistan playing 11

England Playing 11 Probable: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Reece Topley.

Afghanistan Playing 11 Probable: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

England vs Afghanistan head-to-head

Total matches played: 2

England won: 2

Afghanistan won: 0

No result: 00

Tied- 00

Also Read: ICC World Cup 2023: Who’ll win England vs Afghanistan match? Prediction, fantasy team, pitch report and more

ENG vs AFG ODIs: Squads of both team

England Squad for ODI World Cup

Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Jos Buttler(w/c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Reece Topley, Gus Atkinson, Moeen Ali, David Willey, Ben Stokes

Afghanistan Squad for World Cup

Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Rahman, Riaz Hassan, Noor Ahmad

England vs the Afghanistan ODI World Cup: Match time, telecast and streaming details

When will the England vs Afghanistan World Cup match take place?

The England vs Afghanistan World Cup match will take place on Sunday, October 15, 2023.

What is the venue of the ENG vs AFG World Cup match?

The England vs Afghanistan World Cup match will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, formerly known as Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi.

When will the England vs Afghanistan World Cup match live toss take place as per Indian Standard Time (IST)?

England vs Afghanistan live toss for the World Cup match will take place at 01:30 PM IST.

What is the match timing of the England vs Afghanistan World Cup match according to Indian Standard Time?

The World Cup match between England and Afghanistan will begin at 2:00 PM IST.

Which TV channels will live telecast the England vs Afghanistan World Cup match?

Star Sports will live broadcast the England vs Afghanistan World Cup match in England.

How to watch the live streaming of the ENG vs AFG World Cup match in England for free?

Hotstar will livestream the England vs Afghanistan World Cup match in India for free.

ENG vs AFG – Totalcric