Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne stated he has ‘no issues’ playing against Afghanistan in their upcoming Champions Trophy match on Friday. Both teams are set to compete in Lahore for their final group stage game, a crucial match for both sides as a win guarantees a spot in the semi-finals.
Despite the backdrop of Australia’s previous decision to boycott bilateral cricket with Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s cricket and broader social exclusions, Australia has continued to face them in ICC events since 2021. This includes matches at the 2022 and 2024 T20 World Cups, and the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Labuschagne commented, ‘It’s an ICC tournament, and as per the schedule, we are to play Afghanistan. Speaking for myself, I have no problem playing tomorrow. While Cricket Australia has taken certain stances in the past, our current focus is solely on the game against Afghanistan.’
Australia is not alone in adopting different approaches for bilateral and ICC events against Afghanistan. Recently, England’s match against Afghanistan proceeded despite calls for a boycott from UK politicians. Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan’s English coach, acknowledged the ‘not right’ situation in Afghanistan, and several Afghan players have publicly protested the increasing restrictions on women’s rights. In a closely contested match, Afghanistan defeated England, eliminating them from the tournament.
This victory brings Afghanistan closer to the semi-finals for the second consecutive ICC event, potentially with strong crowd support in Lahore. Australia is familiar with such conditions.
Labuschagne added, ‘We aim to win tomorrow and quiet the crowd. Our priority is to maintain our game plan and fully engage in the match. We must be prepared for any situation and perform at our best.’
However, the weather might interfere with the match. Australia’s training was moved indoors due to rain in Lahore on Thursday, and Afghanistan cancelled their training. More heavy rain is expected. Interestingly, after rain-related eliminations in the 2017 Champions Trophy, a washout in this game would actually ensure Australia’s progression to the semi-finals.
Labuschagne concluded, ‘As players, we always prefer to play. A complete washout would mean we advance to the semi-finals, but we would prefer to win and top the group. That’s our goal, to win all matches leading up to the semi-finals. However, these things are uncontrollable, so we’ll be ready to play tomorrow, even if it’s a shorter match.’
