Delhi: Former Afghanistan cricketer and current chief selector Asadullah Khan has made a scathing attack on Australia. He said that Australia is hurting the spirit of the game by mixing politics into cricket. In fact, Australia has refused to play any bilateral series with Afghanistan, because the Taliban government has banned women’s sports and rights in the country.

Australia opted out of matches several times

Cricket Australia (CA) has stopped playing Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power in September 2021. First of all, the only Test match to be held in Hobart in November 2021 was cancelled. After this, the ODI series to be held in UAE in March 2023 was also cancelled. The T20 series scheduled for August 2024 also could not take place due to the same reason.

‘We did not get ICC status as a gift’

Expressing his displeasure over this issue, Asadullah Khan said that Afghanistan women’s cricket team has not been able to play any match for a long time, and it will take time to improve this situation. But it is not right to link cricket with politics.

He said, “Our women’s cricket team has not played any matches in recent years, but this will improve with time. Cricket Australia and other boards should not mix politics with cricket. This is not a good sign for the game. We did not get ICC full-member status by any charity. We have achieved it through our performance and credibility.”

‘Our team is being let down’

Asadullah Khan further said that some countries are hindering the development of a strong team like Afghanistan by not playing it. He said, “Our spin bowling is the best in the world and our win percentage is also excellent. Despite this, if countries avoid playing us for political reasons, it is like bringing down a great team. The attitude of Australia and some other countries shows that they do not understand our cultural circumstances, but by doing so they are also harming men’s cricket.”

‘Thank you to India, which always supported us’

Asadullah expressed special gratitude to India and BCCI. He said that India not only gave Afghan players a chance to play in the IPL, but also gave them international recognition.

He said, “We are grateful to all the teams who continue to play us, especially India. The BCCI has not only provided us with the grounds, but has also given a place to eight of our players in the best league in the world through the IPL. Rashid Khan and the Afghanistan Cricket Board have built a strong team in limited opportunities. Our opening pair is stable, the middle order is improving, and both the spin and fast bowling are excellent. We are confident that we will be able to win the T20 in 2026. Can win the World Cup.”