ICC Champions Trophy 2025: jeetwin South Africa's sports minister joins calls for boycott of Afghanistan cricket
jeetwin South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie said he supported calls for a boycott of Afghanistan's participation in the Pakistan Champions Cup and joined British politicians in calling on England not to take part in next month's tournament.
England and South Africa, drawn in the same group as Afghanistan in the one-day international tournament, are under pressure to boycott the tournament due to the Taliban government's crackdown on women's rights since returning to power in August 2021.
South Africa was due to begin its Champions Trophy schedule against Afghanistan in Karachi on February 21, but McKenzie urged South Africa’s cricket governing body not to go ahead with the match.
"Cricket South Africa, other national federations and the International Cricket Council must carefully consider the message that cricket wants to send to the world, especially to women in the game," he said in a statement on Thursday. Message.
"As sports minister, I have no right to make the final decision on whether South Africa should respect Afghan cricket. If it were up to me, it would certainly not happen."
More than 160 British politicians have signed a cross-party letter to the England and Wales Cricket Board calling for a boycott of England's match against Afghanistan on February 26 in Lahore.
In response, European Central Bank President Richard Gould called on all member states to take a unified approach to Afghanistan's participation in international cricket matches.
In March last year, Cricket Australia indefinitely postponed its bilateral men's Twenty20 series with Afghanistan, citing "the deteriorating human rights situation for women and girls in the country under Taliban rule".
But they did play each other at the World Cup in India in late 2023 and the T20 World Cup last June.
Cricket Australia president Mike Baird said last month he was "very proud of our stance" after being accused of hypocrisy.
“We’ve taken a stand, and we’re proud to be where we believe we should be.”

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