Captain Jos Buttler says England's match against Afghanistan at the Champions Trophy should go ahead after calls for a boycott over the Taliban regime's assault on women's rights.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A group of more than 160 British politicians have written to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) calling for England not to play the match in Lahore on February 26.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Since returning to power in 2021 the Taliban have effectively banned the participation of women in both sport and broader public life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
That puts the Afghanistan Cricket Board at odds with the rules of governing body the International Cricket Council (ICC).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Buttler said sports and politics should be kept separate.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Political situations like this, as a player you're trying to be as informed as you can be," he told reporters ahead of the first T20 against India in Kolkata on Wednesday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"The experts know a lot more about it, so I've been trying to stay in dialogue with Rob Key (managing director of ECB) and the guys above to see how they see it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I don't think a boycott is the way to go about it," he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Certainly as a player, you don't want political situations to affect sport. We hope to go to the Champions Trophy and play that game and have a really good tournament."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The ECB have resisted calls for a boycott, with chief executive Richard Gould saying instead he would "actively advocate" for collective action by the ICC instead.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The ICC have allowed the Afghanistan men's team to keep competing in global competitions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n