College welcomes Afghan Refugee Women's cricket team

The College was proud to host the Afghan Refugee Women's cricket team during their two T20 fixtures in Cambridge last weekend, part of an historic UK tour that began with a meeting with the King.

The 15-strong squad and their coaches were based at Murray Edwards over the three-day visit, travelling to Hughes Hall - the college hosting the matches - to play at the famous Fenner's ground, home of Cambridge cricket. On Saturday 27 June, the Afghan side took on first the UK Armed Forces Women's team and then Cambridge University Women. The event, which was free to attend, attracted over 300 spectators from the university, local community and beyond.

Murray Edwards Acting President Dr Rachel Polonsky said: 'It was a delight and an honour to meet the team. As a women's college, we stand for women's freedom to pursue their ambitions, whether in sport, academia or any other field. We are thrilled that this event was not only a spectacular sporting occasion but a wonderful opportunity for both the Cambridge students and Afghan players to meet and forge new bonds.'

The team's visit comes ahead of the five year anniversary, in August, of the fall of the Afghan capital Kabul to the Taliban. Over 13 days, the UK’s joint military and civilian team evacuated over 15,000 highly vulnerable people during a military airlift from Kabul airport, working closely with other governments. Most of the Afghan women’s cricket team and their families were offered sanctuary in Australia; several came to Canada and the UK. Now dispersed across three continents, the players are rebuilding their lives in exile while continuing to pursue their passion for cricket. They are not yet recognised by the International Cricket Council as a national side.

The Afghan squad are playing six matches during their tour, with three still to play. On arrival in the UK, they met King Charles III at a reception at Clarence House, asking for his support in their quest for recognition as an Afghan team. Later in their visit, they will watch the T20 Women's World Cup Final at Lord's.

Sir Laurie Bristow, President of Hughes Hall, was the UK ambassador to Afghanistan at the time of the evacuation. He said: 'We are very proud to welcome the players to Cambridge as part of this historic tour. Since the Taliban seized power in 2021, the rights and freedoms of Afghanistan’s women and girls have been systematically erased. Girls over 12 are excluded from school; women are barred from most forms of employment, public life, and participating in sport. So these matches are not just a celebration of women’s sport but a tribute to the extraordinary courage and commitment of the Afghan women cricketers.'

On the first night of their stay, the players were guests at a celebratory dinner at Hughes Hall, together with members of their opposing teams. In a speech of thanks, one of the squad said: 'Even after everything we've been through, we still have hope, we still have dreams, and we still belong on a cricket field.'