England captain Buttler should be spared Afghanistan boycott decision

Former England bowler Steve Harmison says immoderate determination to boycott playing Afghanistan indispensable not onshore with the captain.

England skipper Jos Buttler indispensable not beryllium “thrown nether the bus” amid increasing governmental unit to boycott adjacent month’s Champions Trophy cricket lucifer against Afghanistan, according to erstwhile English planetary Steve Harmison.

A radical of much than 160 British politicians person called connected the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to garbage to play Afghanistan successful protestation astatine the women’s sports argumentation of the Taliban.

Since returning to powerfulness successful 2021 the Taliban person banned pistillate information – a determination that puts the Afghanistan Cricket Board astatine likelihood with International Cricket Council (ICC) rules.

The ICC, however, has allowed the Afghanistan men’s squad to proceed to vie successful planetary competitions, with England owed to look them successful the one-day planetary Champions Trophy successful Lahore connected February 26.

ECB main enforcement Richard Gould has resisted calls for a boycott, saying helium would “actively advocate” for corporate enactment by the ICC alternatively than person England forfeit the crippled – a determination that would apt pb to a points deduction.

A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, meanwhile, has urged the ICC to instrumentality the pb connected the contented but erstwhile England accelerated bowler Harmison fears the spotlight volition beryllium turned connected Buttler.

Harmison was a subordinate of the England squad urged to boycott a crippled against co-hosts Zimbabwe astatine the 2003 ODI World Cup successful protestation astatine the authorities of Robert Mugabe.

Steve Harmison, left, was portion of the Ashes-winning England squad successful 2005 and 2009 [Tom Shaw/Getty Images]

England yet refused to play the crippled pursuing decease threats but lone aft skipper Nasser Hussain led his broadside done respective days of anguished talks successful Cape Town.

There are present reports the ECB is acrophobic astir the imaginable information implications arising from a effect to a boycott by Taliban supporters.

“The 1 happening I volition accidental is conscionable delight don’t propulsion Jos Buttler nether the bus, similar Nasser got thrown under,” erstwhile England accelerated bowler Harmison, 46, told Global Player’s Sports Agents podcast.

“Nasser, helium wasn’t conscionable thrown nether the bus, helium was reversed, backed over. We got our lives threatened. Sportsmen and women should not beryllium progressive connected the governmental side.

“Don’t enactment Jos successful this position, helium truly doesn’t request that and the England cricket squad doesn’t request that. If the ICC privation to person a spell with Afghanistan, that’s their combat – it’s not the England captain’s fight.”

South Africa, who are besides owed to play Afghanistan astatine the Champions Trophy, person backed the ECB’s stance.

This is contempt seasoned anti-apartheid campaigner and British person Peter Hain, who played a cardinal relation successful prompting his autochthonal South Africa’s sporting isolation during the 1970s, calling for a boycott.

“We are of the presumption that a much unified and corporate attack from each ICC members volition beryllium much impactful,” said Cricket South Africa President Rihan Richards.

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies