Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi dismissed political calls to boycott Afghanistan’s cricket games in the Champions Trophy after politicians in England and South Africa urged their cricket authorities to forfeit the group games against Afghanistan because of the Taliban’s ban on women’s sport and erosion of women’s rights.

Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has dismissed political calls to boycott Afghanistan's cricket games on the eve of their first Champions Trophy match. Politicians in England and South Africa urged their cricket authorities to forfeit the Champions Trophy group games against Afghanistan because of the Taliban’s ban on women’s sport and erosion of women’s rights.