‘Not acceptable’: Aussie Test to be scrapped

Australia was scheduled to host Afghanistan for a Test at the WACA in November 2020, but the match was postponed 12 months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

And now the highly-anticipated fixture is set to be pushed back once again following the Taliban’s takeover of the country.

Watch our record-breaking women live and ad-break free during play on Kayo when they take on India in the Women’s Test series. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial >

Earlier this month, Cricket Australia claimed it would have “no alternative” but to scrap the one-off Test match in Hobart if women were not allowed to play cricket under the Taliban regime.

“Driving the growth of women’s cricket globally is incredibly important to Cricket Australia. Our vision for cricket is that it is a sport for all and we support the game unequivocally for women at every level,” CA said in a statement at the time.

In response, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chief executive accused CA of a “knee jerk” reaction, pleading for a more “balanced, diplomatic, sensitive and considerate approach”.

But speaking to Triple M Hobart on Wednesday morning, Baker confirmed the Afghanistan Test match would not be played in Australia this summer.

“It will be formally postponed indefinitely this week,” he said. “It’s not acceptable that they don’t allow female sport. If they want to play competitive male sport, particularly in the cricket sphere, they’re going to have to rethink what they do with female sport.

“So giving them some incentive to say, ‘Well we’re not going to cancel this altogether because we’ll giving you an opportunity to work on how female cricket becomes a part of your program’.”

This will be the fourth Test that CA has “postponed” in the calendar year after a three-match tour of South Africa was scrapped back in February.

It also means Australian’s cricketers will enter the Ashes with no Test experience under their belt since January, 11 months prior to the series opener in Brisbane.

Proud Tasmanian and Australian Test captain Tim Paine has never played Test cricket in his home state and now may never get that opportunity.

However, Baker said Hobart would be willing to host an Ashes Test if required after reports emerged that the Perth match was in doubt due to the state’s travel restrictions.

Last week, the former women’s development manager of the ACB said boycotting the men’s national side will “destroy the hope of the Afghanistan people” following the Taliban takeover.

“If the ICC or other countries boycott Afghanistan cricket, it won’t help women to play cricket,“ Tuba Sangar told the BBC Stumped podcast.

“The Afghanistan men’s team have done a lot for Afghanistan. Because of them, we know cricket. Because of our men’s team, I know that women should play as well.

“A woman in Afghanistan knows about cricket because of the men‘s team. When Afghanistan men win a match, girls are thinking, ‘One day I should play for Afghanistan too’.

“If other countries, other worlds, take this from Afghanistan, I don’t think it will help. It will destroy the hope of the Afghanistan people.”

Afghanistan’s newly-appointed director for sports and physical education refused to confirm whether women would be permitted to play sport under the Taliban regime

“Please don‘t ask more questions about women,” Bashir Ahmad Rustamzai told AFP.

Australian cricket fans will still see Afghanistan superstar Rashid Khan in action this summer after the Adelaide Strikers confirmed the all-rounder would return for the Big Bash League.

“I won’t leave this club. I love Adelaide, the fans, the team, everyone,” Khan said.

“It is a great honour for me to be here playing for the Strikers. I love playing in front of the beautiful crowd at Adelaide Oval, it is one of my favourite grounds in the world. Especially New Year’s (Eve). That is a night I always have in my mind; I always want to play that night.

“There is so much love from the crowd. Not only during games but always when I am in Adelaide. The fans give me so much love and respect and I try to give my best performance to brings smiles to their faces.”