Afghanistan's fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq has called out the Australian cricket team asking if they'll play their upcoming World Cup match against his nation. This call-out relates to a previous issue involving the Australian team.
The match between Afghanistan and Australia will be played on November 7. Both teams are in contention for the semi-finals. However, Naveen-ul-Haq took this opportunity to take a jibe at Aussies.
He shared a story on his official Instagram. It stated, "Refusing to play the bilateral series, now it will be interesting to see cricket Australia stand in the WorldCup"
Background
Australia refused to play a cricket series against Afghanistan in March 2023. The decision was made in response to the Taliban's decision to impose further restrictions on women's and girls' education.
The decision was announced by Cricket Australia (CA) in a statement on January 12, 2023.
The statement said that CA had "no alternative" but to cancel the series, given the "current and ongoing situation" in Afghanistan.
The decision was met with criticism from some, who argued that it was unfair to punish the Afghan cricket team for the actions of the Taliban. However, CA defended its decision saying that it had a responsibility to stand up for human rights.
The Australian government also supported the decision with the Minister for Sport Anika Wells saying that it was "the right thing to do".
The decision to cancel the series was a significant one, as it was the first time that Australia had refused to play a cricket series against another country since 1971.
