Jonathan Trott, the head coach of Afghanistan, has expressed his displeasure with the Taliban’s ban on women playing cricket and other sports. Trott, who has daughters who play the sport, said he hopes Afghan women will eventually have the same sporting freedoms as women in England.
The rights of women in Afghanistan have deteriorated greatly since the Taliban took power in 2021. Female cricket players have had to leave the nation for safety, and women are prohibited from public areas like parks and colleges. Rashid Khan and other Afghan men’s cricket players have voiced their opposition to the repressive policies in light of these difficulties.
Due to the Taliban’s position on women’s rights, Cricket Australia has already made a statement by declining to play Afghanistan in a bilateral series. The Champions Trophy match between England and Afghanistan will go ahead as planned, despite nearly 200 UK politicians recently calling for a boycott.
The former England batter made a comparison between South Africa’s history of apartheid and Afghanistan’s problems ahead of Afghanistan’s Champions Trophy match against England in Lahore. He emphasized his wish to see a transformation in Afghanistan that is comparable to what happened in his home.
“Hopefully, we can change things. The players want to do it, I’m sure. On their social media accounts, they have stated that. All they are doing is requesting equality and working to promote cricket as a means of achieving justice and national advancement. I understand the concern of the globe. I’m worried. My daughters are cricket players. I take pride in my heritage and the progress the nation has made for the benefit of all. “I hope to see that in Afghanistan someday,” he said, as reported by the BBC.
These men are courageous: Jonathan Trott
The England match is a “do or die” situation for the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led team, who have suffered a defeat in their opening match. Trott also talked about the challenging situation his players are in, where they must strike a balance between their sense of patriotism and the realization that change is required.
“These men are courageous. They are able to distinguish between good and bad. For them, it’s a very difficult scenario. They are aware of who they are representing and playing for. We put a lot of effort into making the nation happy, and the men are proud, courageous, and enthusiastic about their ability to do so, even though they are well aware that some things are incorrect,” he said.