Boycotting Afghanistan in Champions Trophy not the way to go about it: Jos Buttler

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been pressurised to boycott Afghanistan at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 amid the Taliban regime, which has curbed women's rights in the country. More than 160 MPs have urged the ECB not to engage Afghanistan in the eight-team event starting February 19 in a written letter to the ECB.

Also Read - Champions Trophy 2025: England decline calls to boycott Afghanistan

However, England captain Jos Buttler does not believe boycotting Afghanistan is the way to go.  "Political situations like this, as a player, you're trying to be as informed as you can be," Buttler said ahead of England's first T20 International (T20I) against India in Kolkata.

"The experts know a lot more about it, so I've been trying to stay in dialogue with Rob Key and the guys above to see how they see it. I don't think a boycott is the way to go about it. The players haven't really worried too much about it. These things, you're trying to educate yourself and read up on these things.

"There's been some good stuff written about it that I've tapped into, and I've spoken to quite a few people to try to gather expert opinion. I'm led by those experts in situations like this.

"But certainly, as a player, you don't want political situations to affect sport. We hope to go to the Champions Trophy and play that game and have a really good tournament."

The two teams faced each other last in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India in Delhi, where Afghanistan registered their first-ever win over England. England take on Afghanistan in a Group B fixture at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on February 26.