Afghanistan Women’s cricket team has called on the International Cricket Council to give them a “clear answer” on what their future looks like.

The players spoke to BBC Sport after the opening match of their tour of England, where they beat an MCC Foundation XI at Worsley Cricket Ground in High Wycombe.

The victory was as significant as it was emotional. It was their first win as a team since fleeing Afghanistan five years ago after receiving death threats from the Taliban.

The celebrations at the end of the match were a powerful reminder of how far this group of women have come. But despite the joy of victory, major questions remain over what lies ahead.

Since settling in Australia, where they now live and train, the players have repeatedly called on the ICC to recognise them once again as an international team and commit to long-term funding.

Batter Firooza Amiri says the uncertainty surrounding their future is “very worrying”.

“Where are we going to end up? What is the next step? We need a clear answer,” she said.

“We are fully committed to this team and we’ve put everything else aside to play cricket. But we also need the ICC to give us a clear answer. Are they going to support us?”

Without official ICC recognition, the side are touring as the ‘Afghan Refugee Women’s Team’ and are wearing a specially designed badge instead of Afghanistan’s official crest.

That, however, did little to diminish the significance of their victory.

“The girls were screaming everywhere and crying as well,” all-rounder Firooza Afghan said.

“This match gives the girls confidence. When we play cricket, we’re not just playing for ourselves. It’s for Afghanistan and it’s for the women and girls back in our country.”

The win capped a remarkable week for the players, who met King Charles on the eve of the match.

“He was so nice to all of us,” Afghan said. “He asked about our journey and that gave us the inspiration to play and win today.”

“He was such an amazing and kind man,” Amiri added. “He was very interested in hearing about our journey. We shared our story with him and it was just beautiful.”

The team will play five matches during their stay in England and will also attend the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s.

Clare Connor, Managing Director of England Women’s Cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board, played a key role in organising the tour.

“The objectives of the tour were to provide some really good cricketing experiences, but also experiences that they will hopefully remember forever and that remind them cricket is a sport where they are still loved and cared for.

“Meeting these amazing women, hearing their voices, their stories, and seeing their love for the game and for each other has been unbelievably special.”

The team’s relationship with the ICC has been far from straightforward.

Since escaping Afghanistan in 2021, the players have accused the governing body of ignoring them and failing in its duty of care.

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan men’s team has retained full ICC membership despite the country’s inability to meet the membership requirement of supporting a women’s national side.

In April 2025, the ICC, together with the cricket boards of England, Australia and India, announced a joint programme to provide financial support for the players.

The funding has enabled the squad to train in an elite performance environment over the past year, with two cricket sessions and two strength and conditioning sessions each week, alongside competitive matches.

However, that programme comes to an end after the England tour and there is currently no plan in place for what follows.

The future funding of the team will be discussed at the ICC’s annual conference next month.

Connor believes the global game must now find a lasting solution.

“It is incumbent on the global community to work that out.

“It’s an answer we’ve got to find. The global cricket community really needs to come together and develop a sustainable plan for this group of players.”

Last month, football’s governing body, Fifa, approved the return of the Afghan women’s national football team to international competition. The cricketers now hope the ICC will follow suit.

“They deserve to be playing as Afghanistan’s national women’s football team, and we deserve the same thing,” Amiri said.

“We’re hoping that after all these matches and all the hard work we’ve put in, the ICC will see this team, recognise us, and finally give us what we deserve.”

Under the current oppressive Taliban regime, women in Afghanistan are banned from education, sport and work and they are not allowed to leave the house without a male guardian.

The players say their fight for recognition on the world stage goes beyond cricket. They hope their story will also send a message of hope to the women and girls back home.

“I just want to tell them that every shot and every wicket is for you. We play for your voice and we play for your freedom,” Afghan said.