LONDON — Captain of the England cricket team, Jos Buttler, has expressed his belief that the upcoming Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan should still take place, despite growing calls for a boycott.

Recently, over 160 politicians in the U.K. signed a letter advocating against England participating in the men’s one-day international scheduled for February 26 in Lahore, Pakistan, as a protest against the Taliban’s oppressive measures against women.

“Buttler stated that maintaining awareness of political circumstances is crucial for any player. He shared his thoughts in a press briefing preceding England’s first Twenty20 match against India on Wednesday. He mentioned being in touch with Rob Key, the England director of men’s cricket, and discussing the situation with higher officials to gauge their perspectives. “I don’t believe a boycott is an effective response,” he remarked.

Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, female involvement in sports has been severely restricted, which raises serious concerns regarding the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s compliance with International Cricket Council regulations.

Addressing the impact of politics on sports, Buttler emphasized that athletes hope to compete without political interference. He expressed a desire to participate in the Champions Trophy and looked forward to a successful tournament.

Historically, England has taken a stand on political issues in cricket; for instance, during the 2003 Cricket World Cup, the team chose to forfeit a match against Zimbabwe in protest of Robert Mugabe’s government.