Edinburgh, July 14 (HS): The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved the continuation of its Development Pathway Programme for Afghan refugee women cricketers and reconstituted a special taskforce to prepare a roadmap for integrating the team into the ICC qualification pathway by 2030.

The decision was taken at the ICC Annual Conference, where the Board also appointed independent director Dr Rose Rwivaz and ICC Chief Executives' Committee member Sarah Keene to the taskforce. They will work alongside representatives of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to oversee the programme.

According to the ICC, the initiative aims to establish a structured framework for coaching, competitive matches and high-performance programmes for Afghan refugee women cricketers.

Dr Rose Rwivaz said the programme reflects the ICC's commitment to creating opportunities through cricket and providing long-term support to displaced women players.

Afghan refugee cricketer Nahida Sapan said the initiative has enabled the players not only to continue playing cricket but also to come together as a team. She expressed hope that sustained ICC support would provide them with opportunities comparable to those available to women cricketers in other countries.

Another player, Firooza Afghan, said training tours to India and England over the past year had been among the most memorable experiences of her career. She said the opportunity to train under experienced coaches and the target of competing in ICC qualification events by 2030 would motivate the players to continue improving.

Former Australia international cricketer and It's Game On co-founder Mel Jones welcomed the initiative, describing it as a significant step towards securing the future of Afghan refugee women cricketers. She said the players had made remarkable progress over the past year and were emerging as an inspiration for women and girls worldwide.

The ICC said the programme will continue to provide players with access to cricket coaching, strength and conditioning experts, physiotherapy and regular training at their places of residence. It also plans to organise more international matches and training camps in phases to help the team prepare for participation in ICC qualification tournaments by 2030.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar