'Don't Play Them In A World Cup': Outgoing ICC Chair Slams Australia For Sanctioning Afghanistan

Outgoing ICC Chairman Greg Barclay has strongly criticized Cricket Australia for their handling of the Afghanistan matter. Barclay expressed his disappointment with the double standards displayed by the Australian board, which has cancelled the bilateral series with the Afghanistan men's team as a sanction, but continue to play them in ICC events.

Greg Barclay lashes out at Cricket Australia

Greg Barclay emphasized that the Afghanistan Cricket Board is not at fault and has been working under a decree and laws that restrict women's cricket in their country. He believes that kicking Afghanistan out of international cricket would not make a difference to the ruling party and would instead deprive the people of Afghanistan of the joy that cricket brings.

“It is not the Afghanistan board's fault. They used to have women's cricket. I think our approach has been right. It would be easy to kick Afghanistan out, but their board hasn't done anything wrong. They're just working under a decree and a series of laws that says this is what you have to do. I don't think it would make a jot of difference to the ruling party there to kick them out," Barclay told the Telegraph.

"Maybe I'm a little naïve, but I think cricket is such a force for good there, and it brings a lot of joy to a lot of people. It is better to leave it there and hope that it can foster a bit of a change," he added.

“If you really want to make a political statement, don't play them in a World Cup. Sure, it might cost you a semi-final place, but principles are principles. It's not about having half a principle,” Barclay concluded.

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Cricket Australia has on multiple occasions cancelled their bilateral series with Afghanistan because the country doesn't have a women's team anymore. The Afghanistan women's cricket team was disbanded and players were forced to flee the country after the Taliban came to power in 2021, following a 20-year-long war with the US military and its allies. The Taliban has banned women's participation in sports and other physical activities.

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