THE England and Wales Cricket Board will take a leading role in a new global initiative to support the displaced women’s cricketers of Afghanistan, it was announced today.

Many of the country’s leading female players have been forced into exile by the effective outlawing of women’s sport by the Taliban regime.

There has been growing political pressure for action at International Cricket Council level, with the continued presence of an Afghanistan men’s team at world events flying in the face of governing body’s own rules around equality and participation.