RASC News Agency: Amid ongoing debates surrounding the proposed boycott of Afghanistan’s cricket team, remarks by the team’s captain during a meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Foreign Minister, have ignited significant controversy. In the meeting, the captain expressed gratitude to the Taliban and vowed to “positively introduce the Taliban’s system to the world.” A video widely shared on social media shows members of the Afghanistan cricket team seated alongside Amir Khan Muttaqi. In the footage, the team captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, speaks warmly to Muttaqi, stating, “We are making efforts to represent the Taliban positively on the global stage.” He further acknowledges the Taliban’s support and assures, “We will fulfill our responsibilities in return.”
This meeting comes in the wake of growing criticism over the Afghanistan cricket team’s perceived proximity to the Taliban. Social media users have accused the regime of leveraging the team as a propaganda tool to enhance its global reputation. The video highlights Shahidi pledging on behalf of the team to promote the Taliban’s governance system and Islamic values favorably. Critics argue that such statements indicate the team’s complicity in serving the Taliban’s ideological agenda. The Afghanistan cricket team has previously faced accusations of being ethnically selective and aligning with the Taliban’s interests. In response, several activists have called for an international boycott, urging cricket boards worldwide to sever ties with Afghanistan’s cricket team. Letters advocating for such actions have reportedly been sent to various national cricket bodies.
Over the years, members of the Afghanistan cricket team have held multiple meetings with Taliban officials, which opponents believe serve to legitimize the group’s oppressive regime. These developments have further fueled suspicions that the cricket team is being used as a strategic instrument to promote the Taliban’s narrative on the global stage.
