Australia star batter Marnus Labuschagne said that he has no problem playing against Afghanistan despite Cricket Australia's ban on bilateral series against the Asian team. Cricket Australia (CA) withdrew from a T20I series against Afghanistan in 2024 due to concerns over deteriorating human rights conditions for women and girls under Taliban rule.
After that, both teams faced each other in the T20 World Cup 2025 and now will lock horns against each other for their third group-stage match of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Labuschagne reckons that the Australian team is focused solely on the game, regardless of past political stances.
“Yeah, interesting question. Obviously, it’s an ICC tournament, and as per the schedule, we’re up against Afghanistan. Personally, I have no issues with playing tomorrow. Of course, there have been some stances taken by us at Cricket Australia in the past, but right now, our focus is on the match against Afghanistan,” said Labuschagne.
Afghanistan has emerged as one of the best Asian teams in world cricket, they defeated ODI World Cup winners Australia in the T20 World Cup last year and in the ongoing Champions Trophy, they defeated England in the do-or-die clash of the mega events. Afghanistan, who are often called the underdogs, have proved their skills in the recent outings.
When asked if Afghanistan should still be considered an underdog, Labuschagne dismissed any speculation, stating that he is no pundit to make such judgments and that Australia will be well-prepared for the challenge.
“Look, I’m not someone who labels teams as underdogs or not. We’re playing Afghanistan, and we know how strong they are and the level of skill they bring to the game. Our goal is to ensure we’re fully prepared and put in a strong performance,” Labuschagne added.
Afghanistan will now face Australia for their third group stage match of the Champions Trophy 2025, which will take place on February 28 at Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore. This clash will decide the semifinalist of the mega event
