SYDNEY (AFP) - Cricket Australia on Thursday (Sept 9) said it would cancel a historic maiden Test match against Afghanistan unless the Taliban backtracks on a reported ban on women playing sport.

The governing body said the first-ever men's Test between the two nations in November was under serious threat after the deputy head of the Taliban's cultural commission, Ahmadullah Wasiq, reportedly said women would not play cricket, or any other sport, under the new regime.