If the Afghanistan cricket team decides to play under the Taliban flag, the International Cricket Council (ICC) will not allow them to participate in the upcoming ICC T20 Cricket World Cup. As per a report in Telegraph UK, the ICC might not only ban Afghanistan from T20 WC but also dismiss them from the group of member nations.
Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, there have been speculations about the future of cricket in the country. Many questions were raised after a Taliban spokesperson said that women won't be allowed to play cricket even though the men's team has got approval to continue.
With less than a month remaining for the start of the T20 World Cup, this is a significant development. As per ICC rules, each team has to submit the flag that they want to play under. Usually, it isn't a problem but in this case, Afghanistan will face repercussions if they decide to play under the Taliban flag.
Afghanistan has qualified for the ICC T20 World Cup and is placed in Group 2 alongside India, Pakistan, and New Zealand. Afghanistan Cricket Board said that the Taliban has decided to allow cricket matches to be played in the country, but, there is still no confirmation about women's cricket.
Cricket is one sport where Afghanistan has had an international impact. Players like Rashid Khan, Mohammed Nabi, Mohammed Shahzad, and others have become household names. In fact, Afghanistan qualified for the upcoming T20 World Cup ahead of Sri Lanka.