By Mark Gleeson CAPE TOWN (Reuters) -South Africa Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie said he supported calls for a boycott of Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, adding his voice to those of British politicians who have called on England not to play them next month.

South Africa’s sports minister has joined public calls for the Proteas to boycott the Champions Trophy game against Afghanistan next month.

South Africa's Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has openly backed the increasing calls to boycott Afghanistan in the upcoming Champions Trophy. His position comes in line with British politicians who have called on England to not play against Afghanistan next month.

Seven MPs and peers from Northern Ireland back boycott due to the Taliban's oppression of women.

A group of British lawmakers urged England to boycott their Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan next month, saying the country's cricket board (ECB) needed to take a stand against the Taliban's crackdown on women.

McKenzie also termed the International Cricket Council (ICC) as hypocritical for not upholding its own mandates that member nations develop men's and women's cricket.

Among the stranger details of Jonathan Trott’s role coaching Afghanistan is that he has yet to set foot in the place.

England's men's players have the "power" to make their own stand and refuse to play Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy, says Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi.