Former Afghan President, Hamid Karzai

Former President Hamid Karzai has praised the formation of Afghanistan’s women’s cricket team in exile, calling it a source of pride and inspiration.

In a statement on X on Saturday, Karzai expressed his support for the team, saying, “The women’s cricket team will shine in international competitions just like their brothers and bring honor to Afghanistan.”

The remarks come as the Afghan women’s cricket team played its first match in exile since leaving the country following the Taliban takeover.

On Thursday, the Afghan women’s team played a match in Melbourne, Australia, as part of a symbolic event. The team’s captain described the reunion as a movement for change and hope, aiming to inspire Afghan girls and women to pursue education and sports despite the restrictions imposed by the Taliban.

According to reports, 22 of the 25 players who previously had contracts with the Afghanistan Cricket Board have sought asylum in Australia in recent years.

During Thursday’s match, the Afghan women’s national team played wearing the uniform of Cricket Without Borders, a charitable organization that supports women’s cricket.