England wants ICC to halt Afghan funding amid women’s cricket ban

The England Cricket Board (ECB) has decided to raise the issue of Afghan women’s cricket team restrictions in front of the International Cricket Council (ICC) rather than boycotting the match against Afghanistan.

According to foreign media reports, ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould and other members are scheduled to meet with the ICC next Monday.

During the meeting, the ECB officials will demand sanctions against Afghanistan and call on the ICC to halt funding to the Afghan Cricket Board (ACB) over its lack to resume women’s cricket under the Taliban rule.

The ECB will demand that the money be kept in an account till the restrictions of Afghan women’s team were lifted, reports said, claiming that the ECB will also demand that the ICC set a deadline for the same.

The reports come after ECB chief Richard Gould discussed the issue with England men’s cricket team captain Jos Butler. Earlier, 160 British politicians had also written a letter to the ECB to boycott the match with Afghanistan in the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy.