Rashid Khan has finally addressed the sensitive issue of women’s cricket in Afghanistan, offering the public a rare insight into his stance amid growing global scrutiny. With several Afghan women cricketers currently living in exile after fleeing the Taliban regime, the issue continues to cast a shadow over Afghanistan’s standing in international cricket.
Speaking ahead of Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup match against New Zealand on 8 February, Rashid acknowledged the importance of women’s cricket as part of full ICC membership and expressed pride in the Afghans representing the country on any stage.
“A women’s team? Definitely. I feel it’s part of the criteria to be a full member. The ICC and the Afghanistan Cricket Board know that best, but we love to see someone represent Afghanistan on any stage. It’s a proud moment and you’re representing your country,” Rashid said at the pre-match press conference.
Last year, the Afghan cricketer Firooza Amiri had called on the men’s team to publicly support the women in a conflict-affected country. She believed that the men’s team, given its growing popularity, was in a strong position to help women’s cricket in Afghanistan find a way forward.
Rashid, however, highlighted the limitations faced by the players and emphasized that such decisions ultimately lie with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and the ICC, not individual cricketers.
“But yes, the final decision rests with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and the ICC. As players, we don’t have much control and can only focus on what we can control. There is little we can decide in this situation, but our support is always there. The bigger decisions are made by those in charge and they take it forward,” added Rashid.
HAS ICC TAKEN INITIATIVE FOR AFGHANISTAN WOMEN CRICKETERS?
Last year, the ICC announced that the refugee Afghan women’s team would get key engagement opportunities for the 2025 Women’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka and the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup in England.
The initiative, which was unveiled at the ICC’s annual conference last July, aimed to support Afghan women cricketers who fled the country after the Taliban return to power in 2021.
Led by ICC Vice-Chairman Imran Khwaja in collaboration with the BCCI, ECB and Cricket Australia, the program included training camps and matches against domestic teams. The refugee team was too present at the opening match of the 2025 Women’s World Cup in Guwahati.
Meanwhile, the men’s team reached the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup and will have high expectations, given their steady rise in international cricket over the past decade. Rashid Khan is also approaching a big milestone, on the verge of becoming the first bowler to take 700 wickets in T20 cricket.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
February 7, 2026
