Afghanistan Women's XI To Play Historic Exhibition Match In Melbourne

Cricket Australia (CA) Chief Executive Nick Hockley has described the upcoming exhibition match featuring the Afghanistan Women's XI in Melbourne as a beacon of hope and a significant milestone in the team's journey back to international cricket. The Afghanistan Women's XI, composed of refugees who now reside in Australia, will play a T20 match against a Cricket Without Borders XI at the Junction Oval on Thursday morning. The game precedes the opening day of the day-night Women's Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

This marks the first time the Afghanistan Women's team has reunited since fleeing their home country following the Taliban's takeover. The players are now divided between Canberra and Melbourne, and the match represents a pivotal moment in their cricketing journey.

At a press conference on Monday at the Junction Oval, Hockley spoke alongside players Nahida Sapan and Firooza Amiri, with Sapan announced as 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 in attendance, highlighting the collaborative efforts of Cricket Australia, Cricket Without Borders, and the Australian government in organising the event.

Hockley expressed optimism that this match would pave the way for future opportunities for the Afghanistan women's team. He also noted that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is eager to support their cause, with England captain Heather Knight having recently met the exiled Afghan players in Melbourne.

"I think this is a first step," Hockley said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"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 is their want," he added.

"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 said.

"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," he noted.

Nahida Sapan, who plays club cricket in Melbourne for Carnegie, and Firooza Amiri, who represents Dandenong, both shared their excitement about representing the Afghanistan Women's XI. Amiri, a vocal advocate for Afghan women cricketers, expressed her joy at the team coming together for the first time.

"It's really special for us, especially for Afghan women because this is a very historic moment for all Afghan women," Sapan said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"We have a big hopes for this match, because this match can open doors for Afghan women, for education, sport and future. We don't want this to be our first and last match. We want to more matches. We want more support," she added.

While Australia currently does not engage in bilateral series with Afghanistan, the two teams continue to compete in ICC tournaments. They are set to face each other in the upcoming Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place in Pakistan and the UAE next month.

"We are going to represent millions of Afghan women that they are in Afghanistan and denied for their rights," Amiri said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo,

"And also it's very special for all of us to get back together after three years, leaving everything and losing everything back home in Afghanistan," she added.

"It's going to be very exciting for all of us to play together. We had couple of camps together, but it's going to be our first match. We're looking for a win," she said.

Hockley and the organizers remain hopeful that this symbolic match will spark conversations globally, shining a light on the resilience of Afghan women cricketers and their unwavering passion for the sport.