South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has added his voice to growing calls for a boycott of Afghanistan in the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
His comments come after British politicians urged England to refuse to play Afghanistan next month because of the Taliban government’s crackdown on women’s rights since returning to power in August 2021.
South Africa and England are in the same group as Afghanistan for the tournament, with both teams facing pressure to boycott their respective matches against Afghanistan.
South Africa are scheduled to open their Champions Trophy campaign against Afghanistan in Karachi on February 21 as McKenzie called on Cricket South Africa to review the value of the match.
McKenzie said: “Cricket South Africa, the federations of other countries and the ICC [International Cricket Council] she should think carefully about the message she wants the sport of cricket to send to the world, and especially to women in sport.”
“It is not for me as the Sports Minister to make the final decision on whether South Africa should honor the cricket matches with Afghanistan. If it was my decision, then it certainly wouldn’t have happened,” he continued.
He further added, “As a man who comes from a race that was not allowed equal access to sporting opportunities during apartheid, it would be hypocritical and immoral to look the other way today when the same is happening to women anywhere in the world. “
The issue has gained significant attention, with Peter Hain, the former British cabinet minister and anti-apartheid campaigner who grew up in South Africa, writing to Cricket South Africa urging them to challenge the ban on women and girls’ cricket in Afghanistan.
In addition, more than 160 British politicians signed a cross-party letter to the England and Wales Cricket Board (EWC), calling for a boycott of England’s match against Afghanistan in Lahore on 26 February.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould responded by advocating a unified approach by all member states regarding Afghanistan’s participation in international cricket. However, Cricket South Africa is yet to publicly comment on the matter.
Australia, another country scheduled to face Afghanistan, will play them in Lahore on February 26.
Cricket Australia had previously postponed a bilateral men’s T20 series against Afghanistan in March 2023, citing “deteriorating human rights for women and girls under Taliban rule”.
However, Australia played Afghanistan in the World Cup in India in late 2023 and during the T20 World Cup last June.
Cricket Australia President Mike Baird defended their position, saying: “We have taken a stand and we stand proudly where we think we should.”
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