England will play their ICC Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan despite calls for the ECB to boycott the fixture.

A group of more than 160 politicians signed a letter encouraging England to boycott the game in Lahore on Wednesday February 26 and take a stand against the Taliban regime’s assault on women’s rights.

Female participation in sport has effectively been outlawed since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, a move that puts the Afghanistan Cricket Board in direct contravention of the rules of the ICC, cricket’s governing body.

ECB chair Richard Thompson described the situation in Afghanistan as “nothing short of gender apartheid”, which only a co-ordinated international response could tackle, not a unilateral withdrawal from the fixture.

“Today the ECB board discussed recent calls for England to boycott the forthcoming men’s Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan in the wake of the widespread violation of women’s rights in the country under the Taliban,” Thompson said on Thursday.

“What is happening in Afghanistan is nothing short of gender apartheid. At a cricketing level, when women’s and girls’ cricket is growing rapidly around the world it is heartbreaking that those growing up in Afghanistan are denied this opportunity, but the appalling oppression of women and girls by the Taliban goes so much further.

“The board recognises there are different views and opinions on the issue of boycotting the match and has listened carefully. We have been in close contact with the Government, the International Cricket Council (ICC), our England Men’s players and other stakeholders to discuss this matter, as well as considering how best the ECB can support those women cricketers who have fled Afghanistan.

“Following this, we remain of the view that a co-ordinated international response by the cricketing community is the appropriate way forward, and will achieve more than any unilateral action by the ECB in boycotting this match, while we have also heard that for many ordinary Afghans, watching their cricket team is one of the few remaining sources of enjoyment. As such, we can confirm that we will play this fixture.”

Watch every match from the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy live on Sky Sports between February 19 and March 9 or stream with NOW.