The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is reportedly unhappy with Cricket Ireland for hosting Afghanistan in a five-match ODI series, even though England continue to play Afghanistan in ICC tournaments.The five-match ODI series between Ireland and Afghanistan began on Wednesday in Bready. According to a report in The Guardian, Ireland’s decision to host Afghanistan could affect its future cricket ties with England.Ireland’s move has put its relationship with the ECB under strain. England have refused to play bilateral cricket against Afghanistan because of the Taliban regime’s restrictions on women’s rights.The ECB’s stance is based on concerns over what its chair, Richard Thompson, has described as the Taliban’s “gender apartheid”.However, England continue to face Afghanistan in ICC events, where tournament points and titles are at stake.The ECB’s policy is supported by the UK government, but Cricket Ireland has taken a different approach. Ireland has built close ties with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and is hosting five ODIs this month.Under a reciprocal arrangement, Ireland will tour the United Arab Emirates in March next year to play Afghanistan in one Test, three ODIs and three T20Is.England previously played one-off Tests against Ireland at Lord’s before the home Ashes series in 2019 and 2023. Next year, however, England have chosen to play Bangladesh in a warm-up Test instead.England’s men’s team also faced Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy in Lahore last year.While the ECB does not schedule bilateral matches against Afghanistan, it has supported Afghan women cricketers in other ways. This summer, it organised a tour of England for the Afghan Refugee Women’s team and invited them to attend the T20 World Cup final at Lord’s.Most members of the Afghanistan women’s team fled the country after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and banned women’s sport. Many of the players later settled in Australia.Afghanistan remain the only ICC Full Member without a women’s cricket programme, but the ICC has not suspended them.Australia, South Africa and New Zealand have also refused to play bilateral cricket against Afghanistan. Ireland, however, has joined the West Indies, Zimbabwe and the four Asian ICC Full Members in continuing bilateral cricket with Afghanistan.The ECB’s relationship with Cricket Ireland has already been under pressure. England declined an invitation to take part in the proposed Euro Nations Cup next year, which would also feature Scotland, the Netherlands and Italy, citing a packed international schedule.England’s men’s team played a three-match T20I series in Ireland last September, but the ECB sent a second-string squad. No further men’s matches between the two teams are currently scheduled.England’s women’s team, however, will host Ireland in a three-match ODI series next month.
