The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on Thursday that the Afghanistan women’s refugee team will tour England next month. This historic visit begins on June 22, and marks a major milestone for players who fled their country in 2021. The squad consists of cricketers who previously held contracts with the Afghanistan Cricket Board before the Taliban banned women from sports.
ECB to host Afghan Refugee Women’s Team for ground-breaking tour ⬇️https://t.co/75a0IL6JvJ
— England and Wales Cricket Board (@ECB_cricket) May 21, 2026
During the tour, the team will play several Twenty20 (T20) matches and participate in high-performance training sessions. Additionally, these players will attend the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 5 as special guests.
Historic Landmark Visit Confirmed for June
The upcoming tour serves as an important platform for these athletes to rebuild their professional careers. Since the Taliban’s return to power five years ago, female athletes in Afghanistan have faced systematic exclusion from public life. Consequently, most of the national women’s side resettled as refugees in Australia, primarily in Melbourne and Canberra.
The ECB is organizing this program in close partnership with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the MCC Foundation. Furthermore, a sports consultancy firm called “It’s Game On,” co-founded by former Australian cricketer Mel Jones, helped build the itinerary.
Positive News for Exiled Cricketers After Taliban Ban
Since the players fled Kabul in 2021, Australian cricketer Mel Jones played an important role in helping many of the squad to safety. The players have shown remarkable resilience in continuing their training in exile.
However, the team still lacks official recognition from the International Cricket Council. Under current ICC rules, full members must have both a men’s and a women’s national team. While the Afghanistan men’s team continues to play in global tournaments, the women’s team was effectively disbanded by the ACB. So, this tour is a massive cultural and sporting event, which highlights the need for inclusion in cricket.
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The Flight from Kabul and New Life in Australia
The majority of the squad has been playing in Australian domestic competitions for the last few years. In early 2025 they formed a team called the “Afghan Women’s XI” after their letters to the ICC went unanswered. Over in Australia, they can take advantage of training facilities and educational opportunities through programs like Pitch Our Future.
Exclusive: the Afghanistan Refugee Women’s Team will tour England, hosted by the ECB from 22 June for a series of high-level T20 matches.
The players will also attend the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final.
Here’s Clare Connor (ECB deputy CEO) with us on why this is important. pic.twitter.com/1ZOI8MIv4i
— The Final Word (@Final_Word_Pod) May 21, 2026
The deputy CEO of ECB, Clare Connor, explained the importance of this tour in an exclusive interview. Meanwhile, the MCC has launched a Global Refugee Cricket Fund for help. The fund is looking to raise an initial £1million to assist displaced cricketers. The ECB and other international boards have done their bit to ensure the sport remains a force for good.
Tour Schedule and World Cup Final Appearance
From June 22, the players will play T20 matches against a number of English sides. These games will give the team the chance to show their ability on the international stage for the first time in years.
A major highlight of the trip is the invitation to attend the Women’s T20 World Cup final. The players will be guests at Lord’s, the home of cricket, on July 5. This appearance is symbolic, as it places the exiled team at the heart of the global cricket community during its biggest event.
The Global Fight for Recognition
The exiled players are not just playing for themselves; they are playing for the millions of girls in Afghanistan who cannot play sports. Firooza Amiri has repeatedly stated that the team still exists and deserves to represent its country. Similarly, organisations like Human Rights Watch have called on the ICC to support the women’s team in exile.
🗣️ “We know that we belong”
Firooza Amiri joined us on The Scoop to talk about the fight for Afghanistan’s female cricketers 🇦🇫
Watch 👉 https://t.co/JcT5tu3Zqe pic.twitter.com/UkkIBLbWsj
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) May 21, 2026
In a recent interview with The Scoop, Firooza Amiri, one of Afghanistan’s first contracted women’s cricketers, talked about the fight for Afghanistan’s female cricketers, saying that they belong.
In April 2026, FIFA changed its rules to allow the Afghanistan women’s national football team to compete in international matches again. The cricketers hope that the ICC will follow this example. While the ICC has formed a task force to help, the players are still waiting for full official status as a national squad.
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