England will play their Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan later this month, England's cricket board (ECB) said on Thursday, despite calls to boycott the game in response to the Taliban government's crackdown on women's rights.

In response to Afghanistan's treatment of women, which includes severe restrictions on women's rights, a group of British lawmakers had previously urged England to boycott the group-stage encounter.

The England Cricket Board announced in a statement on Thursday that the cricketing board has decided to go ahead with the Champions Trophy 2025 encounter against Afghanistan amidst calls for a boycott of the game.

England will play Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy later this month despite calls from British politicians to boycott the match over the Taliban regime's curtailment of women's rights. More than 160 British politicians had called for a boycott as female participation in sport has effectively been outlawed since the Taliban's return to power in 2021.