England players have the “power” to take their own stand and refuse to face Afghanistan in the Champions Cup, according to Labor MP Tonya Antoniazzi.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) met Antoniazzi on Tuesday after she sent a cross-party letter to the governing body, signed by nearly 200 British politicians, which called on the ECB to boycott the match.
These British politicians want the team to refuse to play the match that will continue for more than 50 years in Lahore on February 26, and to take a stand against the Taliban regime’s assault on women’s rights.
Women's participation in sports has been effectively banned since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, and many Afghan female players have left the country for their safety.
Following her meeting with the ECB, where the governing body maintained its non-committal stance on the boycott, Antoniazzi told BBC Sport that England players could choose to take their own position on the issue.
The Gower MP said: “The power is in the team. The power is in the people who play this sport. The power is in their hands – it's in their hands.”
“How big is cricket in England? It's huge. They have a huge status in the sporting world and they have influence, and I want them to realize that influence is what they have to use to make a difference.”
The Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) declined to comment on the possibility of individual England players boycotting the match, but told BBC Sport it was a “very complex issue”.
A court spokesman said: “The Permanent Court of Arbitration is appalled by the abhorrent treatment of women and girls under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
“The PCA continues to engage with the ECB and the World Cricketers’ Association on this matter.”
Since the matter concerns the opinions of individual players, the ECB did not feel it appropriate to comment.
