South Africa urged by sports minister to boycott cricket game against Afghanistan
Associated PressPRETORIA, South Africa — South Africa’s sports minister has joined public calls for the Proteas to boycott the Champions Trophy game against Afghanistan next month and criticised the International Cricket Council for not upholding its own rules. Gayton McKenzie said on Thursday he felt “morally bound to support” a match boycott because the Taliban government has banned women’s sport and disbanded the national women’s cricket team. “It is not for me as the sports minister to make the final decision on whether South Africa should honor cricketing fixtures against Afghanistan. “Cricket South Africa, the federations of other countries and the ICC will have to think carefully about the message the sport of cricket wishes to send the world,and especially the women in sports.