Cricket Ireland announced the Irish international fixtures for 2026 on the 21st of March. The most interesting news, to me at least, was the inclusion of multiple series involving Afghanistan. I had questions, along with a feeling of disappointment, and for the last few days I’ve been anticipating reporting and opinion pieces on the issue. Sadly, I haven’t seen too much that hasn’t reported more than the basic facts along with the boards own comments, other than a good piece a few days before the announcement by Ger Siggins. Thus we end up with me trying to articulate my thoughts. I’m no writer and this won’t be well structured, despite my best attempts, but I’ll try to make it vaguely coherent. If you know of any proper writing on the subject do let me know.

A moral failing

Let’s start with a simple fact. Afghanistan does not have a women’s cricket team, which breaks the ICC rules for Full Members, and, thus, Afghanistan should be suspended. It follows, at least in my view, that Ireland should not play cricket against the Afghanistan men’s team. Cricket Ireland clearly takes a different view. I’d like to explain why I feel they’re incorrect.

How should an ICC member that is refusing to let a portion of its population participate fully be treated? Unfortunately, in that it was required, we do have an example from recent memory. South Africa was excluded from international cricket for 20 years, from the early 70s to the early 90s, with only “rebel” tours taking place during that period. It wasn’t regarded as appropriate to invite South Africa for a tour. There were no “get out of jail cards” to have a tour such as, to pick a completely non-random example, inviting a team of non-white South Africans to play in the country as well. Although, if we’re honest, I’m sure there were people who would have happily had the tours take place regardless. Those people would have been wrong then, and they would be wrong now.

Cricket Ireland apparently disagrees. At the fixtures reveal it was announced that “Cricket Ireland has formally extended an invitation to the exiled Afghanistan Women’s team to play in Ireland this summer (subject to scheduling commitments around the Afghan squads presence in/around the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England).” Effectively it means that they’re trying to use the Afghanistan women as cover to play the Afghanistan men. I’m sure Cricket Ireland would be disagree with that claim, but I feel it’s true. If it weren’t Cricket Ireland could have invited the Afghanistan women to play in Ireland this summer as a standalone invite. Asking the women to play while refusing to play the team of the board who denies them would have been an admirable move. Sadly what has been done looks like a small gesture to stave off some of the justified criticism Cricket Ireland presumably knew they would receive.

Even if we take the invite as a non-cynical move (I’m using a lot of imagination now), there are still questions regarding the invitation that I’d like more detail on. For example, is the invitation to all of the exiled players? Who will pay for any trip, the players themselves or Cricket Ireland? Will there be matches as part of any trip? If the invitation is refused would the men’s tour be cancelled? If the women invited said the men’s tour should be cancelled what would happen?

I also notice a crucial word in the statement which Cricket Ireland may be happy for people to miss. That word is “in”. Cricket Ireland have invited the Afghanistan Women’s team to play in Ireland, not to play Ireland, but to play in Ireland. In theory this could mean playing matches against club teams, or even as little as training in Ireland. Sarah Keane, the new CEO of Cricket Ireland, did mention in an interview with Haydn Parry that the Afghanistan women “have also been invited to Ireland for us to play them”, but I’ve seen nothing else that confirms that is part of the offer. I truly hope it is. In my view, anything short of having the Irish women’s team playing multiple matches against the Afghanistan women should be regarded as a disappointment and a failure.

There are also other questions for the board. One of my first questions when I heard about the fixtures was what would happen should an Irish male player refuse to play Afghanistan? There has been some reporting that appears to indicate that it will be allowed but when asked, also by Haydn Parry, the question, “[I]f any player said to you they couldn’t in clear conscience play in such a fixture would you respect that?” “I think you have to”, Graeme West responded “I think you have to”. Hardly a ringing endorsement of letting players choose whether to play.

I’m also wondering whether this is now a blanket policy for Cricket Ireland? If other boards also didn’t support a women’s team would Cricket Ireland play them? If the South African apartheid regime were still in place would Ireland willing play them? I can only conclude the answer would be yes. If that’s not the case, then why hs an exception been made in this case?

Sarah Keane failed to explain the reasoning for decision saying only that “I am not going to fob you off and say there is legal and financial reasons. There aren’t.” That meaningless statement is exactly the opposite of what she claims. It is a fob off. She never stated what the boards reasons are, she just said what they’re not. What are the actual reasons? If they’re not financial or legal then I suspect them even more. Financial and legal reasons could have put the board in a position where they felt they had little choice. Without those excuses it looks like a misguided decision and a moral failing.

I believe that there is a moral reason to not play the Afghanistan men, but that’s clearly not something Cricket Ireland believes, therefore I feel that it’s worth having a look at this decision in the context of Cricket Ireland’s own Equality, Diversity and Inclusion publications.

Cricket Ireland and EDI

Cricket Ireland published their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy in 2023, and it is planned to run from 2024 to 2027. They also as published the full associated report. Within the documents there are a number of actions, findings, or recommendations which would seem to be relevant to the issue. Both documents, and the whole EDI section on the Cricket Ireland website, are well worth a read, and contain many sensible recommendations. I’m glad to see Cricket Ireland doing these consultations as well as publishing them, however publishing them only goes so far, especially if the board fails to live up the recommendations.

The following is a selection of recommendation and actions from both the strategy and the associated report. I would argue that Cricket Ireland is clearly ignoring their own initiative, and seriously undermining it’s aims.

Balance opportunity, equality and accessibility of resources and facilities to ensure fair access and treatment for women and girls.

Prioritise building more equitable progression pathways in selection processes, so all people have the same opportunities, irrespective of background.

Elevate and prioritise EDI information and awareness across cricket.

...there is more to do to support the women’s game, at all levels, as findings show they are experiencing unequal access compared to men.

A focus is needed on examining ways to build out more inclusive pathways in the women’s game at all levels with consideration of different playing formats, enhancing visibility of women role models and resources for facilities.

Leaders set the tone from the top in daily interactions, behaviours and communication styles. They also are instrumental in setting the agenda and must prioritise EDI.

There should be zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour with policies and clear disciplinary actions for any breaches.

Consider creating and delivering campaigns throughout the year to ensure the message is clear on the impact of racism, inequality and discrimination and how everyone can be better allies to each other.

Every single of the actions, recommendations, and comments above is being broken or ignored by the Afghanistan Cricket board, and yet Cricket Ireland to just ignore that, and expect the rest of us to do the same? In particular how can Cricket Ireland claim that [t]here should be zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour when they are explicitly tolerating it in another board by playing the Afghanistan men’s team?

How are women and girls in Irish cricket supposed to seriously believe that the board can implement the aims of the strategy when the board discards everything written when it comes to women and girls of another country? I would argue that the Cricket Ireland leaders themselves are failing to set the tone from the top in daily interactions, behaviours and communication styles. They also are instrumental in setting the agenda and must prioritise EDI. They are explicitly not prioritising EDI. Ignoring it abroad for expediency sends the wrong message regarding supporting it at home.

Conclusion

In writing this I’ve come to realise quite how angry the decision to invite the Afghanistan men’s team has made me. I am immensely disappointed with Cricket Ireland, both for the decision and the message it sends. This is a terrible decision, and one that didn’t need to be made. Cricket Ireland have chosen to do this, and they’re wrong.