Afghan cricketers are a step closer to rejoining international competitions after the Afghan women’s cricket team played a landmark match in Melbourne.

While the game, at St Kilda’s Junction Oval, was only an exhibition game, it meant much more to the team and was witnessed by Australia’s Governor General and women’s advocate Sam Mostyn.

The match, watched by 120 spectators, marks the first representative game the team has played against a select eleven.

The team came to Australia in 2021 after the Taliban’s seizure of power in Afghanistan. The militant group has since banned all women’s sport.

The Afghan team played a Cricket Without Borders IX in a T20 match, the first time they have played as a national team since arriving in Australia.

While they did not manage to win, the match has brought them one step closer to a re-entry to international cricket.

Afghan player Shabnam Ahsan said that the match was very important to her.

“I am very happy to be part of the team and to be playing here in Australia,” said Shabnam, who also plays for Maribrynong Ladies Cricket Club and Carnegie Cricket Club.

Her sentiments echo those of other people present at the match.

“Today is a significant day,” said one of the spectators.

“To have the ladies out there after all the challenges they have dealt with… hopefully it will be the start of a lot more things to come,” he said.

The crowd cheered on the girls, while many Afghan flags could be seen.

“This match is very important and very good for the girls. They have worked hard, but it is up to the Taliban to decide whether things will go back to normal,” said Sohaila, a member of the crowd.

The presence of Governor-General Mostyn solidified the importance of the match for the Afghan female players.

The Afghanistan women’s cricket team has yet to enter international cricket.

This has created much controversy, as the International Cricket Council wants to ensure that there is no discrimination in the sport, but its actions show otherwise.

Afghanistan was admitted as a full voting member in 2017, despite not having an operational women’s team in place.