Keir Starmer, the UK prime minister, has called on the ICC to "deliver on their own rules" when it comes to women's rights in Afghanistan*, as he weighed into the row over England's scheduled Champions Trophy clash with the country's cricketers next month.

South Africa sports minister Gayton McKenzie has called for a boycott of Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy. The call for a boycott has become prominent after the Taliban government's ongoing crackdown on women's rights.

McKenzie urges his country’s cricket governing body not to honour the Champions Trophy fixture against Afghanistan.

Despite mounting calls in England and South Africa for their men’s teams to boycott Afghanistan matches in the Champions Trophy 2025, it is highly unlikely that the games will be cancelled. This is primarily because neither team would want to forfeit valuable points in a closely contested,

Cricket South Africa joins the ECB in calling for a "unified and collective approach" to action against Afghanistan following calls to boycott next month's Champions Trophy match between the nations.

Downing Street has called on the International Cricket Council to “deliver on their own rules” as the England team resists pressure to boycott their forthcoming match against Afghanistan. A cross-party group of over 160 MPs and peers have signed a letter urging the England and Wales Cricket Board to sit out next month’s fixture at the Champions Trophy in Lahore as a moral objection to the Taliban regime’s ongoing assault on women’s rights in the country.

South Africa’s sports minister has joined public calls for the Proteas to boycott the Champions Trophy game against Afghanistan next month.

South Africa's Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has openly backed the increasing calls to boycott Afghanistan in the upcoming Champions Trophy. His position comes in line with British politicians who have called on England to not play against Afghanistan next month.