Taliban authorities in southern Kandahar ban radio stations from airing cricket-related content, according to multiple reports. The directive targets both commentary and news items connected to the sport, with broadcasters saying they were contacted by the provincial Information and Culture Department.
Context across outlets is that cricket has grown in Afghanistan and the Taliban previously showed support for it, including by hosting cricket matches during an August anniversary marking its return to power. Some sources add that the restriction applies to radio coverage in Kandahar rather than to cricket being played, noting that the Taliban has allowed men and boys to continue playing cricket in the country.
Outlets differ mainly in emphasis: some foreground the ban itself as a new media restriction, while others contrast it with earlier government support and the wider pattern of sports restrictions under the Taliban. One report also notes that Afghanistan’s men’s team is playing a Test against Zimbabwe in Sharjah.
Overall, the coverage agrees on the core point: Kandahar radio stations are told not to cover cricket, following a provincial directive.
