Afghanistan’s women’s cricket team reunited after three years in exile due to the Taliban’s takeover and played a charity match in Melbourne. Team captain Nahida Sapan hopes the match will spark a movement for change.

Cricketer Firooza Amiri says her team will "represent millions of women in Afghanistan who are denied their rights” when the side reunites after more than three years for an exhibition game in Australia on Thursday.

There is growing pressure on England to boycott February’s Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan, but for those living under Taliban rule cricket provides “a moment of peace in a lifetime of struggles”.

Afghanistan's women cricketers on Thursday played their first game since fleeing the Taliban three years ago, a charity match in Australia that captain Nahida Sapan said she hoped would spark "a movement for change".

Afghanistan female cricketers said Thursday's exhibition match in Australia will be a "historic moment" and that the team will "represent millions of women" back home denied their rights. The Afghan team reunites after more than three years for an exhibition game against a Cricket Without Borders XI at Melbourne’s Junction Oval.