The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that it will host an Afghanistan Refugee Women’s Team for a tour starting on June 22. The itinerary will feature T20 fixtures alongside high-performance training sessions, with the programme being organised in association with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the MCC Foundation.
As part of the visit, the Afghanistan players will also be in attendance at the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Lord’s, with the title match scheduled for July 5. The tour carries particular weight because the group includes former Afghanistan women cricketers who were forced to leave the country after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021—an event that led to women being effectively barred from sport and broader public life.
After relocating, many of the cricketers found a new base in Australia, where they have continued to pursue the game. Earlier, an Afghanistan women’s side took on a “Cricket Without Borders XI” at the Junction Oval in January 2025, ahead of the Women’s Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). That match was streamed by Cricket Australia.
The ECB said the purpose of the tour is twofold: to provide the players with competitive opportunities and to underline cricket’s wider dedication to inclusivity. Clare Connor, the ECB Deputy CEO and Managing Director of England Women, said the players have demonstrated exceptional resolve since being displaced.
“Since being displaced from Afghanistan in 2021, these players have shown extraordinary resilience in continuing their cricket journeys, in incredibly challenging circumstances,” Connor said. “We have worked with It’s Game On to build an itinerary and a set of experiences that we hope will be enjoyable and memorable. We are also delighted that the squad will attend the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
“Cricket has a responsibility to stand for inclusion and opportunity, and we are proud to be hosting this tour and supporting the players in deepening their connection to the game.”
Support for the players’ relocation and continued progress has been provided in part by It’s Game On, a global sports consultancy co-founded by former Australia cricketer Mel Jones and Emma Staples, together with Dr Catherine Orway. Jones, in particular, played a key role in helping the players settle in Australia.
Jones’ organisation has worked with international sporting bodies on initiatives focused on equity and opening pathways for displaced female athletes. She described the tour as an important milestone while also stressing that long-term, meaningful action is still required.
“This tour is a major step forward, but also highlights how much work remains,” Jones said. “These players have shown extraordinary courage and commitment to the game, despite everything that has been taken from them. They deserve more opportunities like this; they deserve to be recognised as part of the global cricket community. Moments like this matter, but we need to see plans for sustained and meaningful action beyond this year.”
