Afghanistan's women cricketers in exile have been involved at a global event for the first time, albeit only as spectators.

A total of 17 formerly contracted Afghanistan women's players attended the ACA Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday to watch India face Sri Lanka in the opening match of the Women's ODI World Cup as part of a 12-day programme offered by the ICC with support from Cricket Australia (CA), the ECB and BCCI.

They have also undergone coaching at the VVS Laxman-led BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, met with players from some of the top teams competing at the World Cup and played some matches.

"Most of the players are now based in Australia," Mel Jones, part of the ICC's initiative, said on commentary during the match. "They've got a few players in Canada and the UK as wel

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