Afghanistan cricket team (AP Photo)

Cricket Scotland said it will not schedule matches against Afghanistan outside International Cricket Council (ICC) events, citing concerns over the treatment of women and girls under the Taliban government and broader human rights issues.

Women's sport has effectively disappeared in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, while access to education and employment opportunities for women has been severely curtailed. The Taliban say they respect women's rights in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law and local customs and that internal matters should be addressed locally.

Scotland's move aligns with decisions by Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board to suspend bilateral ties with Afghanistan, which the ICC made a Full Member in 2017.

"This policy will be kept under review annually or following any significant ICC decision or material change in circumstances," Cricket Scotland said on Monday. It added that its decision was based on its commitment to growing women's and girls' participation in the sport, as well as the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

Reuters has contacted the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) for comment.

Scotland have not faced Afghanistan in a full international match since the 2021 T20 World Cup, but the governing body said the ACB had requested training facilities in July ahead of their men's series against Ireland. The ACB had made another request for training facilities in Scotland in September regarding the T20 Afghanistan Premier League, it added.

Cricket Scotland also said it would continue to consider its contractual obligations to players and would issue no-objection certificates (NOCs) if the ICC gives the Afghan league official approval. "If an NOC is issued, participation by that player/s must not be interpreted as an endorsement by Cricket Scotland of the current Afghan regime or its policies," the statement said.