Former England bowler Steve Harmison says any choice to boycott enjoying Afghanistan should no longer land with the captain.
England captain Jos Buttler should no longer be “thrown under the bus” amid rising political drive to boycott later day’s Champions Trophy cricket fit towards Afghanistan, in keeping with former English world Steve Harmison.
A gaggle of greater than 160 British politicians have referred to as at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to no to play games Afghanistan in protest on the girls’s sports activities coverage of the Taliban.
Since going back on energy in 2021 the Taliban have opposed feminine participation – a advance that places the Afghanistan Cricket Board at odds with Global Cricket Council (ICC) laws.
The ICC, on the other hand, has allowed the Afghanistan males’s staff to proceed to compete in world competitions, with England because of face them within the one-day world Champions Trophy in Lahore on February 26.
ECB eminent government Richard Gould has resisted requires a boycott, announcing he would “actively advocate” for collective motion by way of the ICC instead than have England forfeit the sport – a advance that may most likely top to a issues deduction.
A spokesman for UK Top Minister Keir Starmer, in the meantime, has advised the ICC to pluck the top at the factor however former England speedy bowler Harmison fears the highlight will likely be grew to become on Buttler.
Harmison used to be a member of the England squad advised to boycott a recreation towards co-hosts Zimbabwe on the 2003 ODI International Cup in protest on the executive of Robert Mugabe.
England sooner or later refused to play games the sport following dying ultimatum however handiest then captain Nasser Hussain led his aspect via a number of days of anguished talks in Cape The city.
There are actually reviews the ECB is anxious concerning the conceivable safety implications coming up from a reaction to a boycott by way of Taliban supporters.
“The one thing I will say is just please don’t throw Jos Buttler under the bus, like Nasser got thrown under,” former England speedy bowler Harmison, 46, advised World Participant’s Sports activities Brokers podcast.
“Nasser, he wasn’t simply thrown beneath the bus, he used to be reversed, sponsored over. We were given our lives threatened. Sportsmen and ladies will have to no longer be concerned at the political aspect.
“Don’t put Jos in this position, he really doesn’t need that and the England cricket team doesn’t need that. If the ICC want to have a go with Afghanistan, that’s their fight – it’s not the England captain’s fight.”
South Africa, who’re additionally because of play games Afghanistan on the Champions Trophy, have sponsored the ECB’s stance.
That is in spite of veteran anti-apartheid campaigner and British flesh presser Peter Hain, who performed a key function in prompting his local South Africa’s carrying isolation throughout the Nineteen Seventies, calling for a boycott.
“We are of the view that a more unified and collective approach from all ICC members will be more impactful,” mentioned Cricket South Africa President Rihan Richards.
