There is growing pressure on England to boycott February’s Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan, but for those living under Taliban rule cricket provides “a moment of peace in a lifetime of struggles”.

An Afghanistan Women’s XI will play a Cricket Without Borders XI in the match at Melbourne’s Junction Oval. It will bring together 21 female players who were formerly contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) before the Taliban regime re-took control in August 2021.

A Twenty20 cricket contest featuring a women’s team made up of refugees from Afghanistan who now live in Australia may “only” be an exhibition game, but it could be the beginning of something much more.