Champions Trophy 2025: Jos Buttler, England's white-ball captain, has voiced his opposition to calls for boycotting the ICC Champions Trophy clash against Afghanistan, scheduled for February 26 in Lahore.

Amidst heated political debate, Buttler maintained that such actions are not the solution and reaffirmed his focus on cricket, leaving broader decisions to experts.

The controversy began with a letter penned by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi to ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould. Backed by over 160 British politicians, the letter condemned Afghanistan's "sex apartheid" under Taliban rule, highlighting the ban on women's sports and other oppressive measures. It urged England to take a stand by refusing to play against Afghanistan, calling it a symbolic move against the ongoing injustices.

Despite the strong appeal, Richard Gould rejected the idea of a unilateral boycott, emphasizing that the ICC should spearhead any collective response. His stance found support from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Sports and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who cautioned against boycotts as counterproductive.

Speaking from Kolkata ahead of England's T20I series against India, Buttler reiterated the importance of relying on expert opinions in such complex scenarios. "Political situations like this, as a player you're trying to be as informed as you can be," Buttler said, according to ESPNcricinfo. "The experts know a lot more about it, so I've been trying to stay in dialogue with Rob Key [ECB men's managing director] and the guys above to see how they see it. I don't think a boycott is the way to go about it."

This situation has drawn comparisons to England's decision during the 2003 Cricket World Cup, where political pressures led to a controversial boycott of a match against Zimbabwe. That move cost England vital points and eliminated them from the tournament. Buttler hopes history does not repeat itself, noting that the players have not been subjected to undue pressure this time.

He further emphasized the team's commitment to focusing on cricket. "You're trying to educate yourself and read up on these things. But as a player, you don't want political situations to affect sport," he added.

With the Champions Trophy fast approaching, England aims to concentrate on performing well, navigating the fine line between political responsibility and sporting commitments. For Buttler and his team, the focus remains on showcasing their best cricket while trusting leadership and the ICC to address the larger political concerns.