Johannesburg, Sep 19 (IANS): Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced it will continue to play bilateral fixtures against Afghanistan despite increasing calls for a boycott due to the Taliban’s oppressive policies towards women in the country. This includes criticism from lawyers for human rights, who urged CSA to sever ties with Afghanistan as a stand against the regime's harsh restrictions on women, including banning them from participating in sports.

CSA, however, has taken a more measured approach, stating that punishing Afghanistan's men's cricket team for the Taliban's policies would be unjust. In a statement released on Thursday, CSA emphasised its commitment to gender equity while also pointing out that penalising Afghan cricketers - many of whom had no part in the government’s decisions - would not contribute meaningfully to improving women's rights in Afghanistan.

"CSA remains mindful that gender equity should never come at the expense of one gender over another," the statement said. "We recognise that advocating for the advancement of one gender should not undermine the rights of the other. CSA believes there is no justification for subjecting Afghan cricket players - both male and female - to secondary persecution for the actions of the Taliban. We will continue to engage with member countries within the formal structures of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to address this matter."

CSA's stance aligns with the ICC’s approach, which has been hesitant to sanction Afghanistan despite their failure to field a women’s cricket team. The ICC is reportedly concerned that forcing the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) to form a women's team could lead to dangerous repercussions from the Taliban, including potential harm to the players involved. This complex situation has made the global governing body cautious in its response.

In contrast, Cricket Australia has taken a more direct stance, refusing to play Afghanistan in protest of the regime’s human rights abuses. However, CSA believes such actions are unlikely to bring about meaningful change. "Gender advocacy in cricket should never be advanced by meting out punishment on innocent cricket administrators and players for the misdemeanours of a regime that stands to lose nothing from that punishment," CSA explained.

CSA’s position is rooted in its own history. South Africa was banned from international sport from 1970 as part of a global response to the apartheid regime. This period of isolation, while a key part of the anti-apartheid movement, did little to alter the regime’s policies at the time. Many believe that economic sanctions, rather than sporting boycotts, were the true tipping point for change in South Africa. This parallel has framed CSA’s stance on Afghanistan, as they seek to avoid penalising athletes for the actions of their government.

Adding further context, CSA acknowledged the progress Afghanistan’s cricket board had made in promoting women's cricket before the Taliban took power in 2021. In 2020, the ACB pledged contracts to 25 female cricketers, and plans were underway for a women’s team to compete internationally. However, the Taliban's ban on female participation in sports halted these efforts. Many of the female players are now in exile in Australia and have called on the ICC to establish a refugee team for them.

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has also weighed in on the issue, supporting the promotion of women’s cricket and urging CSA to leverage its position to advocate for Afghan women’s rights. South Africa’s ODI captain, Temba Bavuma, has echoed these sentiments, describing women’s rights as something that aligns strongly with his values.

South Africa and Afghanistan are currently engaged in a three-match ODI series in the UAE, which was not part of the original Future Tours Programme (FTP). The series, sought by both CSA and the ACB, aims to prepare both teams for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Afghanistan claimed victory in the first match by six wickets, with South Africa’s captain Bavuma missing the game due to illness. The second and third matches are scheduled on Friday and Sunday, respectively.