Will give clear position on womens' cricket soon: Afghan Cricket Board head

Kabul: Contradicting the statement by Ahmadullah Wasiq, the deputy head of the Taliban's cultural commission on women's cricket in Afghanistan, Azizullah Fazli, the acting chairman of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), said that they will give a clear position on how women's cricket can be played in the country.

Fazli was speaking to SBS Radio Pashto late on Friday, which was published on its English-language site.

He said that the board will give clear position regarding women's cricket and indicated to expect good news very soon. He also said that all 25 players of the women's team were in Afghanistan and did not leave the country on evacuation flights and added that the women cricketers are safe in their homes.

"The women cricket coach Diana Barakzai and her players are all safe and living in their home country. Many countries have asked them to leave Afghanistan, but they have not left Afghanistan, and at the moment, they are in their places," said Fazli.

Fazli's comments contradicts Afghan's deputy head of cultural commission, Ahmadullah Wasiq, who had on Wednesday said that it was not necessary for women to play sport, including cricket.

"In cricket, they might face a situation where their face and body will not be covered," said Wasiq to SBS Radio Pashto

Wasiq's remarks led to a huge doubt over the Hobart Test being cancelled if Taliban continued with its ban on women's sport. Under International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations, 12 full member nations with Test status must also have a women's team actively involved in the game.

Meanwhile, Fazli has requested Cricket Australia (CA) not to cancel the men's Test between the two teams scheduled to take place in Hobart in November.