In a new series of restrictions, the Taliban announced the ban of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Afghanistan. The decision comes amid allegations of “anti-Islamic content.”
The IPL 2021 resumed in UAE on Sunday with a game between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions, Mumbai Indians.
The Taliban will not allow the telecast of the UAE leg of the IPL 2021 due to possible “anti-Islam contents” that could air during the programming.
Read more: Afghan girls to resume studies after Taliban ensure their safety
According to the Taliban, anti-Islamic content refers to girls dancing and the attendance of women without hijab in the IPL series. To sum up, Afghanistan’s Cricket Board’s former media manager Ibrahim Momand revealed the news on Twitter.
Afghanistan national 📻 📺 will not broadcast the @IPL as usual as it was reportedly banned to live the matches resumed tonight due to possible anti-islam contents, girls dancing & the attendence of barred hair women in the 🏟️ by Islamic Emirates of the Taliban. #CSKvMI pic.twitter.com/dmPZ3rrKn6
— M.Ibrahim Momand (@IbrahimReporter) September 19, 2021
After that, the news sparked major disappointment among top Afghan cricketers Rashid Khan & Mohammed Nabi taking part in IPL 2021.
After taking over, the Taliban banned most forms of entertainment, including sports. Under the new rule, the Taliban completely banned women from playing sports, terming it unnecessary. Ahmadullah Wasiq, the deputy chairman of the Taliban’s culture mission, claimed this in an interview with the Australian network SBS.
“I don’t think women will play cricket because women don’t need to play cricket,” Wasiq said. “In cricket, they might face a situation where their face and body will not be covered. Islam does not allow women to be seen like this”.
The takeover called into question the future of Afghanistan’s participation in Test matches, as, under International Cricket Council regulations, nations must also have an active women’s team.
Read more: Women in Afghanistan banned from cricket, sports
Restrictions aplenty for women
After pledging a softer version of their brutal and repressive regime of the 1990s, the Taliban are tightening their control of women’s freedoms one month after seizing power.
The acting mayor of the capital Kabul said men would fill any municipal jobs currently held by women. Earlier, the Taliban ordered male teachers and students back to secondary school but made no mention of millions of women educators and girl pupils.
Moreover, the Taliban also shut down the former government’s ministry of women’s affairs. They replaced it with one that earned notoriety during their first stint in power for enforcing religious doctrine.
Read more: Taliban replaces women’s ministry with ministry of virtue and vice
Above all, the Taliban imposed strict hijab for women, sparking a global protest. Earlier, Afghan women across the globe shared their pictures on social media dressed in traditional Afghani dresses in protest against the Taliban.