Afghanistan Premier League

And Jim, we have documented closely the plight of the Afghanistan women's team, of course, on this show.

In terms of this tournament, the Afghanistan Premier League, players from all over the world have entered the draft.

As individuals, they have a right to that choice, something that no Afghanistan woman has in that country.

But should it be down to them or should boards be taking a lead on this? If a board like the ECB is not happy to play against Afghanistan, England v Afghanistan, then should they be supplying players for that league?

...

Afghanistan Premier League, and we said, "I'm not sure about that as a personal decision." No criticism to Ollie or any of the others.

No.

But as a personal decision, I'm not sure it's one that I would take.

Interesting.

'Cause, um-

As a daughter, I'm not sure about playing in the Afghanistan Premier League.

Right? Like, the fact that-

Just shifting gear, and I'm gonna ask you about this as well, Dawid, 'cause I think this is gonna come across your desk quite soon, Rob.

Um, the Afghanistan Premier League and, and the granting of a, of an NOC.

So Ollie Pope, for example, has said that he's gonna go into the draft, and he's got a, a central contract and, and the granting of his NOC might come across to you, Rob.

I don't...

I spoke to Mark Butcher about the kind of morality and realities of that situation.

Butch, the Afghanistan Premier League is due to launch this December.

The league will be run by the Afghanistan Cricket Board, whose chairman was appointed by the Taliban.

Um, as a reminder, the Taliban retook control of the country in 2021, and the government's treatment of women and girls has been described by the United Nations as a gender apartheid.

I was, I was thinking about this in terms of like the context of like my friendship group, where kind of the idea of you sit down for a drink with someone and one of your mates, they go like, "I don't believe what's happening." Like, just got some word.

So the tournament's ha- happening in Dubai to begin with, and they're hoping to go to Kabul.

And just what I would think, like if, if my mate of mine was like, "I'd get a bit of pocket money if I just go and, um [laughs] work in this Afghanistan Premier League," um, money comes from something loosely related to the Taliban.

I'm like, "Mate, what are you doing?" Like, why are we-

[upbeat music] This is Following On with me, Neil Manthorp, alongside former England fast bowler Steve Harmison.

Later on, we'll be discussing new rule changes made by the ICC, and also England players signing up for the Afghanistan Premier League.

But first, South Africa begin a massive summer with eight test matches, but it, uh, hardly compares to Australia's year.

They've got 21 test matches, including the final of the World Test Championship lined up.

Just quickly, we're running out of time, as always.

England, of course, um, or the ECB has refused to allow the men's team to play against Afghanistan in bilateral series, only at, uh, ICC events.

But there's this story about the Afghanistan Premier League taking place in, uh, in the UAE.

It starts on the 27th of December, and a host of English players have entered, uh, into the playing auction.

In fact, very cross.

So the inaugural edition of the Afghanistan Premier League is due to be staged in the UAE later this year.

And the BBC have reported this week that several English men's players have registered for the draft.

So I'm going to read out their names because this is a shame list.