ACB urges Australia to not succumb to external pressures

A day after Cricket Australia (CA) decided to "postpone" their bilateral series in the UAE, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) hit back at them, urging them not to succumb to external pressures. Australia were to play three T20 Internationals (T20I) hosted by Afghanistan in the UAE in August, but have gone back on their word once again after their government advised them against as they believe that the ongoing Taliban rule is "deteriorating human rights for women and girls in the country."

"The ACB urges the Australian government not to impose its policies on cricket boards, and instead focus on supporting the development of cricket across regions", a statement from ACB said. 

"ACB's top management had previously engaged in negotiations with Cricket Australia and proposed exploring alternative solutions instead of publicly announcing withdrawals."

This is the third time Australia have decided not to engage Afghanistan in bilateral ties. The two teams were previously to clash in a Test in Hobart in 2021. However, they have clashed at world stages - most recently in the ODI World Cup in India last year.

ACB said that the now-postponed T20Is "was approved by the ICC in the presence of the CA delegation, who had agreed to the fixtures at the time".

"Cricket Australia to respect and understand its position as a Full Member nation, and look for alternative solutions rather than succumbing to external pressures and/or political influences," the statement further added.