Afghanistan cricket: Tim Paine says it is 'hard to see' men's side in T20 World Cup

The Taliban has suggested women will no longer be allowed to play cricket in Afghanistan

Australia captain Tim Paine says it is "hard to see" Afghanistan's men at events such as the Twenty20 World Cup if the Taliban bans the women's side.

The International Cricket Council said it was concerned by Taliban comments suggesting the women's side was banned.

"Does the team get kicked out of the World Cup?" Paine asked on SEN radio.

"I imagine it will be impossible if teams are pulling out of playing against them and governments are not letting them travel to our shores, then how a team like that can be allowed to play in an ICC-sanctioned event is going to be very, very hard to see."

Taliban cultural commission deputy head Ahmadullah Wasiq had previously told Australian broadcaster SBS News: "I don't think women will be allowed to play cricket."

Australia are scheduled to host their first-ever Test against Afghanistan from 26 November before the Ashes series with England, which begins on 8 December.

The men's team have already received support from the Taliban - but under ICC rules, all 12 full members must have a national women's team, with only full members able to play Test matches.

Paine said the Test, scheduled to take place in Hobart, "is not looking good".

"There's the cricket aspect to it from an ICC point of view that to be a test-playing nation, you have to have an international women's team," he said.

"Obviously with the Taliban at the moment banning women from playing any sport, that has implications at an ICC level.

"Secondly from a female, human rights point of view, excluding half of your population from trying to do something is not on.

"I don't think we want to be associated with countries that are taking things or opportunities off literally half of their population."

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The ICC said in a statement on Wednesday: "The ICC has been monitoring the changing situation in Afghanistan and is concerned to note recent media reports that women will no longer be allowed to play cricket.

"This, and the impact it will have on the continued development of the game, will be discussed by the ICC board at its next meeting."

But Paine called for more from the global governing body before the Twenty20 World Cup, which starts on 17 October in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

"At this stage, we have heard from Cricket Australia, we've heard from the Australian government, we've heard from the Australian Cricketers Association," he said.

"But as yet we've heard nothing from the ICC, which I think is fascinating given there is a T20 World Cup in a month's time and at the moment Afghanistan are in that."

The Taliban named a new government on Tuesday, three weeks after reclaiming power, but doubts remain over the regime's rules.

"So far, we don't have any news from the government," Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chief executive Hamid Shinwari said in a telephone interview with SBC and Reuters.

Last week, BBC Sport reported how many of the women's team are in hiding in Kabul, saying that members of the Taliban have already come looking for them.

When the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan two decades ago, girls were not allowed to attend school and women were banned from work and education.