Taliban bans broadcast of IPL matches in Afghanistan

Kabul, Sep 21:  Cricket fans in Afghanistan will not get to watch the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the ruling Taliban has banned the broadcast of the matches in the country terming the content as "anti-Islamic".

The second leg of the IPL started on Sunday but the cricket fanatic people of Afghanistan did not get to watch the matches as the Taliban has issued a diktat to the local media against showing the IPL because of the presence of women as cheerleaders and among the watching public in UAE.

Former broadcaster and journalist Fawad Aman, who has served as spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence, termed the ban imposed by the Taliban on IPL as "ridiculous".

"Ridiculous: Taliban have banned the broadcasting of Indian Premier League (IPL) in Afghanistan. Taliban have warned that Afghan media outlets should not broadcast the Indian Cricket League due to girls dancing and the presence of female audience and spectators in stadiums," he tweeted.

Journalist and former Afghanistan Cricket Board media manager M Ibrahim Momand said the live broadcast of the IPL matches was banned because the content was deemed to be "anti-Islam".

"Afghanistan national (TV) will not broadcast the @IPL as usual as it was reportedly banned to live telecast as the matches resumed tonight due to possible anti-Islam contents, girls dancing & the attendance of barred hair women in the Stadium by the Islamic Emirates of the Taliban," he tweeted before the opening match of this leg of IPL.

Ever since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, women have been banned from working in offices or participating in sports activities as that is considered anti-Islam.

Cricket Australia have called off a one-off Test against the Afghanistan men's team because of the Taliban's opposition to women's participation in sports.