The Afghan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced its decision to withdraw from the upcoming tri-nation T20 series scheduled for November. This comes after the tragic deaths of three players from a local tournament, who the ACB states were killed in an air strike carried out by the Pakistani regime on Friday evening.
Eyewitnesses and local officials reported that the strike hit a residence in the Urgon district of Paktika province, where the cricketers were having dinner after a match. In total, eight people lost their lives in the incident.
The ACB identified the deceased players as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, expressing deep sorrow over their passing and calling it “a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family.”
This event unfolds amidst heightened tensions and recent border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with a temporary truce reportedly set to expire. Pakistan has stated that the strike targeted Afghan militants and claimed around 70 combatants were killed, denying any attacks on civilians. However, Afghanistan’s government has condemned the action as “Pakistani aggression.”
Amidst the tragedy, Afghan national team captain Rashid Khan and other players like Fazalhaq Farooqi have paid tribute to the fallen cricketers, with Farooqi describing the attack as a “heinous, unforgivable crime.” The incident occurred just hours after the expiry of a temporary truce between the two nations, which had been implemented following days of intense border fighting.