Amid calls to boycott the game their match against Afghanistan in response to the Taliban government's breach of women's rights, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Thursday (February 6) that England will go ahead and play that match. Notably, a group of British lawmakers had asked England to boycott the Champions Trophy group stage fixture against Afghanistan which is currently slated to happen in Lahore on February 26. Gayton McKenzie, South Africa's Sports Minister, also supported calls for a boycott. Notably, there were as many as 25 contracted women cricketers in 2020 but most are now living in exile in Australia after the Taliban takeover of their country in August 2021. Coordinated international response by the cricketing community is the appropriate way forward: ECB ECB chair Richard Thompson, however, said that they would play the match after discussions with the government, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the players. He believes that the ECB on its own is not in a position to deal with the problems in Afghanistan. "We remain of the view that a coordinated international response by the cricketing community is the appropriate way forward and will achieve more than any unilateral action by the ECB in boycotting this match," Thompson said in a statement. "We will continue to press the ICC to take further action, including ring fencing a meaningful portion of funding to support female players from Afghanistan to be able to access cricket," he added. "We have also heard that for many ordinary Afghans, watching their cricket team is one of the few remaining sources of enjoyment. As such, we can confirm that we will play this fixture," he added. Notably, the women cricketers of Afghanistan recently became the first beneficiaries of a new refugee fund initiated by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Thompson was quick to point out that ECB had donated 100,000 pounds ($124,350). "What is happening in Afghanistan is nothing short of gender apartheid," he said. "At a cricketing level, when women's and girls' cricket is growing rapidly around the world, it is heartbreaking that those growing up in Afghanistan are denied this opportunity."Original Article