
The government has reiterated its support for England’s decision to fulfil this month’s Champions Trophy fixture against Afghanistan, claiming a boycott would be “counterproductive”.
England’s men are due to face Afghanistan in Lahore on February 26 but there have been calls for the England and Wales Cricket Board to sit the match out in protest at the assault on women’s rights under the Taliban regime, including a cross-party petition signed by more than 160 politicians.