The Afghanistan women’s cricket team, currently residing in Australia as refugees since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, is set to play their first match together since fleeing their home country. On January 30, 2025, they will face off against a Cricket Without Borders XI in a T20 exhibition match at the Junction Oval in Melbourne. This momentous game coincides with the opening day of the Women's Ashes Day-Night Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

The Afghanistan women’s team was disbanded following the Taliban’s rise to power in 2021, which banned women from playing sports. Since their relocation to Australia, the team members have lived in Canberra and Melbourne, where many have continued playing cricket for local clubs. However, this will be their first opportunity to represent Afghanistan as a collective unit in an official match on foreign soil.

The match is seen as both a celebration of the resilience and skill of the Afghanistan women’s cricketers and a testament to the efforts made by the Australian government and cricket community to provide them with support and opportunities. Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Nick Hockley expressed his delight in facilitating the game: “Many people across cricket and the community have come together to provide support for members of the Afghanistan women’s team since their relocation to Australia, and this match will be a celebration of that work,” Hockley said.

The exhibition match will be a highlight of the opening day of the Women's Ashes Test, an important fixture in women’s cricket. The game has been organized with the input of the Afghanistan women players, local stakeholders, and the Australian government, who have all worked together to make this opportunity possible.

In a letter earlier this year, 17 players from the Afghanistan women’s team who were contracted to the Afghanistan Cricket Board prior to the Taliban’s return requested assistance from the International Cricket Council (ICC) in establishing a refugee team in Australia. The letter highlighted their ambitions to showcase the talent of Afghan women and to draw attention to the challenges they face: “Our goals in having a refugee team are to develop and showcase our talent, give hope to the women remaining in Afghanistan, and to draw attention to the challenges women of Afghanistan face,” they wrote.

The players are not just aiming to play for the sake of recreation but have a vision to compete at the highest levels in international cricket. They hope to recruit and train young girls and women passionate about cricket, inspiring the world with the talent and strength of Afghan women if given the necessary support.

Cricket Australia has played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the match, partnering with various community groups, State and Territory Associations, and local cricket clubs to ensure that the Afghanistan women’s team has the resources and platforms to continue their cricketing journey. The partnership with UNICEF Australia, particularly through the "Until Every Girl Can Play" campaign, further reinforces the goal of promoting gender equality in sport and providing a pathway for young women in Afghanistan to pursue their cricketing dreams.

"I'm delighted that their ambition to play together will be achieved in this exhibition match, which will be a wonderful addition to the many events around the Day/Night Women’s Ashes Test,” Nick Hockley added.

This historic T20 exhibition match will not only mark a significant milestone for the Afghanistan women's cricket team but will also serve as a beacon of hope for women in Afghanistan who continue to face immense challenges due to the current regime. By playing this match, the Afghanistan women’s team hopes to inspire not just the women of Afghanistan but girls and women worldwide, highlighting the resilience of women in sport and the importance of equal opportunities.

The Afghanistan Women's XI vs Cricket Without Borders XI T20 match will take place at Junction Oval on January 30, 2025, marking the start of a new chapter for Afghanistan's women cricketers, who have been given a platform to showcase their talent on the world stage.