SA shall face up with Afghanistan in ODI matches

South Africa is set to face Afghanistan in a three-match One Day International (ODI) series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE, starting on 18 September. This marks the first-ever bilateral series between the two nations. However, many question whether it should happen.

Afghanistan, a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 2017, has risen rapidly in international cricket. The men’s team nearly reached the semifinals in last year’s ODI World Cup in India and made it to the semifinals of the 2024 T20 World Cup before being soundly defeated by South Africa, who went on to play in their first World Cup final.

Despite Afghanistan’s success on the men’s side, the women’s team remains in a dire state. Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, women in Afghanistan have been subjected to oppressive laws, including bans on education beyond primary school, exclusion from public life, and the prohibition of sports, including cricket. The Afghanistan Cricket Board had contracted 25 women players in 2020 to meet ICC criteria for full membership, but the team dissolved after the Taliban takeover, with many players fleeing the country.

In protest of Afghanistan's treatment of women, Australia has refused to play bilateral series against them, cancelling both a T20 series earlier this year and an ODI series last year. Cricket Australia stated their stance was due to the "deteriorating human rights for women and girls in the country under Taliban rule." Afghanistan Cricket Board criticised Australia’s decision as “pathetic.” However, the ICC has not taken any action to suspend Afghanistan’s membership, despite its non-compliance with the ICC’s criteria for full membership.

South Africa, on the other hand, has chosen to follow the ICC’s directive and will continue playing Afghanistan until instructed otherwise. Cricket South Africa (CSA) CEO Pholetsi Moseki confirmed this position, saying, “We’re following the ICC’s directive... there is no ban on playing against Afghanistan.” He also noted that the South African government had not given any directive against playing Afghanistan, unlike Australia, which made its decision in collaboration with the government.

This situation raises uncomfortable comparisons to South Africa’s own history of international isolation during apartheid, a period when the ICC banned the country from cricket for 21 years due to its discriminatory policies. While Afghanistan’s men’s team should not be blamed for their government’s actions, the broader issue of women’s rights cannot be ignored.

The South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) acknowledged CSA’s obligation to honour the Future Tours Programme but also emphasised that "the deteriorating human rights for women under the Taliban rule cannot be ignored." SACA’s CEO Andrew Breetzke called on CSA to use its platform to highlight the rights of Afghan women players, suggesting symbolic gestures such as wearing armbands during matches.

The dilemma is complex, and there may be no clear right or wrong answer. While Afghanistan’s male cricketers shouldn’t be penalised for their government’s actions, South Africa’s decision to move forward with the series without addressing the issue raises moral questions, especially given the country’s own historical struggles with oppression.