AFGHANISTAN head coach Jonathan Trott says his players are trying to “bring joy to the country” amid the assault on women’s rights under the Taliban regime.

Female sport has been effectively outlawed in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with the women’s cricket team, who no longer compete internationally, living in exile in Australia.

There are bans on women working and girls over the age of 12 from secondary and higher education and while exemptions had existed in the medical profession, that was closed off in December.

Ahead of their must-win Champions Trophy Group B clash against England in Lahore on Wednesday, Trott suggested his side are playing for the Afghanistan people and not the regime.

“They [the players] know the difference between right and wrong,” he told the BBC. “It is a real tricky situation for them. Perhaps you and I are not as educated about the seriousness of things [as they are].

“I try to be as compassionate about everything they are going through and the country is going through but with my own ideas and knowledge of the difference between right and wrong.

“We work very hard in bringing joy to the country and the guys are very passionate and brave and very proud of being able to do that — but knowing full well that there are things that are not correct.

“They know who they are playing for and representing. I can’t speak for individuals but can speak for my intentions and passions for the game of cricket and trying to leave the game in a better place.”

A cross-party petition signed by more than 160 British politicians wrote to the England and Wales Cricket Board urging a boycott of England’s clash against Afghanistan in protest at the country’s treatment of women.

That was rejected by the ECB even if chair Richard Thompson described what is happening in the country as “gender apartheid,” instead calling for collective action from the International Cricket Council.

Trott played for England between 2007 and 2015 before taking up his Afghanistan post in 2022, but he was born in apartheid-era South Africa and grew up amid major changes in the country and is aware of the transformative impact sport can have on a nation.

“I can see the world’s concern, I am concerned,” Trott said. “I have daughters who play cricket and I am fully proud and encourage that. I am proud of where I come from and the change the country made for the betterment of everybody. Hopefully one day I can see that in Afghanistan.”

Afghanistan have never contested a match on home soil, instead being the nominal home side in the United Arab Emirates or Greater Noida in India.

Trott has never been to Afghanistan and still lives in Birmingham as a result of his playing career being at Warwickshire, but attends their training camps in the UAE and is in the dugout when they play.

Two of Afghanistan’s top male cricketers, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, have criticised females being banned from medicine and Rahmanullah Gurbaz has expressed his support for women’s education.

Asked whether England boycotting Wednesday’s clash would be beneficial, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said: “We are cricket players and sportsmen.

“We can only control what happens inside the cricket ground, not outside. Everyone would like to see everyone [men and women] play. When it comes to politics we can’t control that. We can only control cricket.”