On Monday (March 18), Cricket Australia (CA) postponed Australia's overseas T20I series versus Afghanistan, to be held after the T20 World Cup in August.

The CA move was made citing concerns over the human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, which is under the Taliban rule since mid-2021. Thus, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) have reacted to CA's decision and schooled their counterpart. In a lengthy statement, shared on Tuesday (March 19), ACB urged CA to not succumb to 'external pressure' and 'political influences' after the T20I series got cancelled. On their website, ACB wrote, "The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) expresses disappointment over Cricket Australia's decision to postpone yet another bilateral series against Afghanistan and reiterates its stance on neutral and politics-free cricket across the globe. ACB advocates for keeping cricket distinct from political influence, considering the game's significance in Afghanistan and its connection to the happiness and joy of the Afghan Nation." Cricket Australia postpones T20I series vs Afghanistan citing concerns over women's rights in country In addition, the ACB stated that while they understand the pressure faced by CA, the governing body also slammed the Australian government, asking them not to impose its policies on cricket boards and focus on supporting the development of the game across the globe. 'ACB urges Cricket Australia to respect and understand its position...' The statement further pointed out, "ACB acknowledges the pressures faced by Cricket Australia from the Australian Government and emphasises on the importance of addressing such issues through collaborative efforts between the two cricket boards. The ACB also urges the Australian government not to impose its policies on cricket boards and instead focus on supporting the development of cricket across regions." It added, "ACB's top management had previously engaged in negotiations with Cricket Australia and proposed exploring alternative solutions instead of publicly announcing withdrawals. ACB expresses disappointment over CA's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan for the third time." "The three-match T20I series was part of AfghanAtalan's FTP for the ICC 2023-2027 International Calendar, which was approved by the ICC in the presence of the CA delegation, who had agreed to the fixtures at the time. ACB urges Cricket Australia to respect and understand its position as a Full Member nation and look for alternative solutions rather than succumbing to external pressures and/or political influences. The Afghanistan Cricket Board remains committed to negotiating with the International Cricket Council, Cricket Australia, & other full member countries and adhering to ICC principles to ensure cricket remains free from political influence and supported by all parties involved." Notably, this became the third time since 2021 when CA postponed a bilateral series versus Afghanistan, since Taliban's takeover in the Asian country. The two sides last met each other during the 2023 ODI World Cup, in India, where Glenn Maxwell's 201* bailed Australia out of crisis and led them to a three-wicket win in pursuit of 292 in Mumbai. Both sides are placed in different groups in the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. The one-time winners Australia are in Group B whereas the Afghans are placed in Group C.