England captain Buttler should be spared Afghanistan boycott decision

According to former English international Steve Harmison, Jos Buttler should not be “thrown under the bus” in the wake of growing political pressure to play in the Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan in March.

In protest of the Taliban’s women’s sports policy, a group of more than 160 British politicians have demanded that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) not play Afghanistan.

The Taliban have outlawed female participation since coming to power in 2021, which contradicts the International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations.

The ICC, however, has granted the Afghanistan men’s team a place in international competitions, with England scheduled to face them on February 26 in the one-day international Champions Trophy in Lahore.

Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, has resisted calls for a boycott, saying he would “actively advocate” for the ICC to take action collectively rather than have England forfeit the game, which would most likely result in a points deduction.

Meanwhile, former England fast bowler Harmison fears that Buttler will receive more attention than the ICC, as a spokesman for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged them to lead the charge.

In protest of Robert Mugabe’s administration, Harmison was a member of the England squad that was ordered to boycott a game against Zimbabwe in 2003 ODI World Cup.

After receiving death threats, England eventually decided against playing the game, but it did only after captain Nasser Hussain guided his team through difficult conversations in Cape Town for several days.

According to reports, the ECB is concerned about potential security repercussions as a result of a Taliban supporter’s boycott.

“The one thing I will say is just please don’t throw Jos Buttler under the bus, like Nasser got thrown under”, former England fast bowler Harmison, 46, told Global Player’s Sports Agents podcast.

“Nasser, he wasn’t just thrown under the bus, he was reversed, backed over. We got our lives threatened. On the political front, sportspeople and women shouldn’t be involved.

” Don’t put Jos in this position, he really doesn’t need that and the England cricket team doesn’t need that. If the ICC want to have a go with Afghanistan, that’s their fight – it’s not the England captain’s fight. “

South Africa, who are also due to play Afghanistan at the Champions Trophy, have backed the ECB’s stance.

Peter Hain, a veteran anti-apartheid activist and British politician, who played a significant role in the 1970s’ sporting isolation in his native South Africa, is credited with calling for a boycott.

Rihan Richards, president of Cricket South Africa, said, “We think a more unified and collective approach from all ICC members will be more effective.