# Ireland agrees to five-match Afghanistan series, risking ECB backlash

Ireland has agreed to play five cricket matches against Afghanistan, a decision that risks angering the England and Wales Cricket Board. The ECB has previously refused to face Afghanistan in protest against the Taliban's crackdown on women's sport. Ireland's move highlights a split in cricketing policy over dealing with Afghanistan's regime.

**Importance:** 2/5

## Sources

### Sports
- [The Guardian Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/aug/04/ireland-five-matches-against-afghanistan-england-ecb-cricket) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 19:56:08 GMT
- [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cy8mp51417zo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:31:52 GMT
- [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c1d194wgq2vo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:40:30 GMT

### World
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/8/8/afghanistans-rashid-takes-six-wickets-in-odi-thrashing-of-ireland?traffic_source=rss) — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 08:06:35 +0000