England will play their Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan later this month, England's cricket board (ECB) said on Thursday, despite calls to boycott the game in response to the Taliban government's crackdown on women's rights.

In response to Afghanistan's treatment of women, which includes severe restrictions on women's rights, a group of British lawmakers had previously urged England to boycott the group-stage encounter.

The call for a boycott was started by a group of British lawmakers last month, who called on England to skip the Champions Trophy group stage match against Afghanistan. The appeal has been backed by over 160 British politicians and South Africa's Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie.

England's Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan will go ahead, despite calls for a boycott. A cross-party letter, signed by nearly 200 UK politicians, was sent to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) asking for England to refuse to play in response to the Taliban's human rights record.

England will play Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy later this month despite calls from British politicians to boycott the match over the Taliban regime's curtailment of women's rights. More than 160 British politicians had called for a boycott as female participation in sport has effectively been outlawed since the Taliban's return to power in 2021.

Afghanistan's female cricketers play an exhibition match at the Junction Oval in Melbourne, with the players hoping to "open doors" for women in the country.