RASC News Agency: Peter Hain, a renowned anti-apartheid activist, has called on Cricket South Africa (CSA) to boycott its upcoming match against Afghanistan’s cricket team, citing the Taliban’s institutionalized gender apartheid. In a letter addressed to CSA’s CEO, Pholetsi Moseki, on Wednesday, January 8, Hain urged the governing body to withdraw from the fixture scheduled for February 21. The match is set to take place during the Cricket World Cup in Pakistan. Hain, a South African-born campaigner and prominent member of the British House of Lords, has long championed human rights and the use of sports to combat injustice.
In his letter, Hain stated: “Having spent decades fighting for black and brown cricketers to achieve equality and represent their nation breaking nearly a century of exclusive white dominance I now urge post-apartheid South African cricket to advocate for the same rights for women in international cricket.” Hain explicitly referred to the Taliban’s treatment of Afghanistani women as a stark manifestation of gender apartheid. He highlighted that since their return to power, the Taliban has systematically dismantled Afghanistan’s women’s cricket team, effectively erasing their presence from the sport.
Cricket South Africa has yet to issue a formal response to Hain’s appeal. Meanwhile, over 200 British politicians have similarly urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott Afghanistan’s cricket team due to the Taliban’s ongoing violations of women’s rights. Last year, Australia’s cricket team also refused to play Afghanistan, citing comparable concerns. It is also worth noting that Afghanistan’s cricket team has faced criticism for its alleged ties to the Haqqani Network and the Taliban regime. Additionally, the team has been accused of lacking inclusivity and being ethnically homogenous, further drawing scrutiny.
