Rita Anwari, Afghan Activist, Becomes Australia's New Multicultural Cricket Ambassador

According to a report published by SBS Urdu, Ms. Anwari assumed this position in May.

The report states that Ms. Anwari's appointment, given her extensive experience in frontline social activism, particularly in the field of women's rights, is "good news for cricket players and coaches across Australia who believe that diversity is key to the sport's growth."

Ms. Anwari, who lives in Brisbane, Australia, spoke about her experiences when she first sought refuge in Australia, saying, "I couldn't speak a word of English and couldn't understand the culture."

She said that this experience motivated her to one day empower other women from Afghanistan and the Middle East through education and skills such as financial literacy.

In an interview with SBS Urdu, Ms. Anwari said: "In capital cities across Australia, there are rich talents scattered individually among players with diverse backgrounds, and I would be very happy to connect and streamline these raw talents and embrace them at a national level."

She added that as an Afghan Australian, she is very eager to help Afghan women cricket players living in Australia to unite, train, and return to the field, nearly three years after being sidelined by the Taliban.

Anwari stated: "We have strong and talented players from Afghanistan living across Australia who are still playing in individual capacities, so my effort is to listen to them and provide support and growth opportunities for them."

Rita Anwari's appointment comes at a time when the Taliban has banned women's sports in Afghanistan since their resurgence.