King Charles told of cricketers’ terrifying escape from Afghanistan after Taliban death threats

King Charles told of cricketers’ terrifying escape from Afghanistan after Taliban death threats The King welcomed members of the Afghan Refugee Women’s cricket team, who had to be smuggled out of the country after the return of the Taliban, at Clarence House today The King was told of the terrifying ordeal of the Afghan Refugee Women’s cricket team after they were smuggled out of the country, fleeing the Taliban following death threats. Charles met the team members at his London residence of Clarence House, today, where he asked them about their escape after the Taliban regained control of the country. The team, which is not recognised in Afghanistan, where women’s sport is banned, is in the UK for a series of matches. As he welcomed them to London this morning in sweltering temperatures, the King asked: “So you had to escape as soon as you could, did you? In 2021? Was it difficult to get out of Afghanistan? Did you get out via Pakistan? And your families managed to come with you?” Player Firooza Amiri, 21, told Charles: “It has been a very difficult and terrifying journey for all of us. There were a lot of Taliban checkpoints. We thought it’s going to be the last one, we won’t survive any more. But we made it.” Speaking to the group of 15 players, the King told them: “I am so glad you can pursue what you really want to do” before asking: “Did you manage to play cricket in Afghanistan before you left? You didn’t get too many protests when you played, did you?” While speaking to the women about how well they had learned different languages, one player asked the King to pronounce a “posh” word for them. Ekil Latifi, 21, who fled to the UK from Afghanistan at the age of 17, said: “Your Majesty, would you give me a posh word, like ‘lavatory’? Do you have one for me?” Charles laughed and replied: “I think I would need advance warning for that.” Ms Latifi, who came from the western city of Herat, was placed with a foster family after managing to take the last evacuation flight out of Afghanistan to Britain. She has since worked as a coach at Lord's cricket ground and said that the team’s success has been a boost for women left behind under Taliban rule in Afghanistan. She said: “We’re not just representing our team, it’s about Afghanistan women back in our country and all the things that they can’t do.” Shabnam Ahsan, 18, from Kabul, said that it was “so disappointing” that the team cannot compete in the T20 Women’s World Cup hosted by England which coincides with their visit because they are not recognised by Afghanistan. She added: “When we found out we were meeting the King it meant a lot to us and it means a lot back in Afghanistan where women don’t have the right to go out. We’re here to fight for them.” Hearing that the team now mostly lives and trains in Australia, the King said: “You’re getting all that high-powered Aussie coaching - no holds barred!” Charles had planned to meet the team in the gardens at Clarence House but the event, which was organised through the UK foreign office, was moved inside due to the heatwave. Walking outside for a photocall, the King was presented with a shirt signed by the players and a decorated cricket bat. Accepting the gifts, the King laughed and said: “I used to play cricket. Very badly!” The team was initially formed in 2010 and they played several international tournaments despite receiving Taliban threats. When the regime took control of the country in 2021, a list of their names was circulated on a hit list, which included other female sports players. A female volleyball player for the country’s national team was killed by the Taliban, and the women were forced into hiding. After being contacted by an Indian journalist, a group of Australian women devised a plan to evacuate the cricket team. Melanie Jones, a former Australian cricketer turned commentator, joined forces with Emma Staples, now the Afghan team's manager, and Catherine Ordway, a sports lawyer. Ms Jones said: “We ended up getting humanitarian visas with the Australian government and they then expired while some were still in the country. We had the SAS from the Australian Army on the ground, and they helped the players through about 8-11 checkpoints through Pakistan with their families. There were about 134 people who got out. “They had a backpack each with their entire lives and had to burn anything that said they played cricket, all their cricket equipment.” Most of the women now live in Australia, with one in Canada and one in the UK. They will play the Cambridge University Cricket Club women’s team on Saturday, and the King quipped: “My old university.”