No boycott of Afghanistan tie

ECB CHIEF GOULD TAKES A FIRM STANCE

In a decisive move reflecting the complexities of international sports and political activism, Richard Gould, the Chief Executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), has firmly rejected calls for England to boycott their forthcoming Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan.

The clash is scheduled to take place on February 26 in Lahore, where the pressure has mounted on the ECB following a letter advocating for a boycott from Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, endorsed by over 160 politicians across various parties including prominent figures such as Jeremy Corbyn and Nigel Farage.

Gould emphasised that the ongoing crackdown on women's rights under the Taliban regime is a matter requiring a coordinated response from the International Cricket Council (ICC) rather than unilateral actions by individual countries.