Champions Trophy 2025: South Africa sports minister wants team to boycott match vs Afghanistan; here's why
South Africa, likely to be led by Temba Bavuma, has been clubbed in Group B alongside Afghanistan, Australia, and England in Champions Trophy 2025.
FollowRepublic of South Africa’s sports minister Gayton McKenzie has called for the men’s national team to boycott the matches against Afghanistan in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.
The 50-over tournament is scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9. South Africa, likely to be led by Temba Bavuma, has been clubbed Group B alongside Afghanistan, Australia, and England. However, McKenzie has urged the team to refrain from playing against South Africa in the marquee event due to significant restrictions and suppression faced by women after Taliban regained control of the country in August 2021.
In a statement, Gayton McKenzie has expressed his support for the boycott of the match against Afghanistan, adding that he is morally obliged to advocate for this stance. He also questioned ICC for their stance against political interference in the cricket administrations, despite inconsistency in Afghanistan.
“Public support for a boycott was a position that I feel morally bound to support, despite the deep complications of Afghanistan's recent and tragic history.” SA sports minister stated.
“I am aware that the ICC, like most international sporting mother bodies, professes not to tolerate political interference in the administration of sport, despite its obvious inconsistency with Afghanistan.” he added.
After gaining control over Afghanistan by overthrowing the Hamid Karzai government, the Taliban imposed a ban on women’s participation in sports and other activities. This ban has also been extended to cricket, with Afghanistan being the only full-member nation of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to not have a women’s team, sparking widespread criticism.
Gayton McKenzie further said that he wouldn’t allow South Africa to play a match against Afghanistan if the decision was taken by him. He also highlighted Apartheid in South Africa, where black people were not accessible to sporting opportunities.
“It is not for me as the sports minister to make the final decision on whether South Africa should honour cricketing fixtures against Afghanistan. If it was my decision, then it certainly would not happen.” McKenzie said
“As a man who comes from a race that was not allowed equal access to sporting opportunities during Apartheid, it would be hypocritical and immoral to look the other way today when the same is being done towards women anywhere in the world." he added.
This is not the first time that Afghanistan is facing a boycott in International cricket. In January 2023, Cricket Australia cancelled the men’s team ODI series against Afghanistan as their solidarity with the women in the troubled Asian country who have been restricted from participating in sports under Taliban rule.
It remains to be seen whether South Africa will play against Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take place on February 21 at the National Stadium in Karachi.
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