England captain rejects boycott calls for Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan

England men's cricket team white ball captain, Jos Buttler, has dismissed the idea of boycotting their ICC Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan, scheduled for February 26 in Lahore.  

Buttler believes that boycotting the Afghan team would not solve any issues. He stressed that political matters should be addressed through dialogue rather than excluding teams from tournaments.

Earlier this month, more than 160 British politicians urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to withdraw from the match. Their concerns stem from the political situation in Afghanistan, particularly following the Taliban's return to power in 2021, which has led to restrictions on women's participation in sports.  

Drawing parallels to the 2003 Cricket World Cup, Buttler mentioned England's decision to forfeit their match against Zimbabwe due to political reasons. He stated that while politicians may have different opinions, players should focus on cricket and avoid letting political issues disrupt the game.  

Before the Champions Trophy, England will play a series against India, including five T20I matches and three One Day Internationals. Their Champions Trophy campaign will begin with a match against Australia.  

England and Afghanistan are set to face each other in Lahore on February 26 as part of the ICC Champions Trophy.