Afghanistan captain Shahidi supports women's cricket, but 'can't control situation'
What's the story
Afghanistan cricket team captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has backed Afghan women's right to play the sport. However, he stressed that the matter was out of his hands.
Shahidi's remarks came during a training session ahead of Afghanistan's ICC Champions Trophy match against England in Lahore on Wednesday.
"Everyone likes to see everyone play," Shahidi said. "When it comes to politics and those things which we cannot control, we are only cricket players we can control things in the ground."
Boycott calls
UK politicians called for boycott of match with Afghanistan
The controversy of women's cricket in Afghanistan has been brought to the fore with their upcoming match against England.
Ahead of the game, over 160 UK politicians had urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott the match in protest against the Taliban government's ban on women playing cricket.
Despite the calls and UK PM Keir Starmer's plea for ICC to "enforce their own rules," the ECB refused to boycott the match.
Game focus
Shahidi's focus remains on upcoming fixture
Despite the controversy, Shahidi has maintained that his and the men's team's main focus is their upcoming match.
"We are sportspersons. We control what we can do inside the ground and we can't worry about what's happening out of the ground," he said.
This position is similar to other prominent Afghan cricketers like Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi who have previously spoken for women's rights in Afghanistan.
Coach's perspective
Afghanistan's head coach acknowledges players' awareness of situation
Afghanistan's head coach, Jonathan Trott, admitted on Tuesday that the male cricketers know the current situation is "not correct."
He praised their bravery and understanding of right and wrong.
"These guys are brave," he said. "They know the difference between right and wrong. It is a real tricky situation for them."
The upcoming Afghanistan-England match is crucial as a loss for either team could see them exit the tournament early.