Daijiworld Media Network – Kabul
Kabul, Oct 18: In a tragic incident, at least three Afghan cricketers were killed in a Pakistani airstrike in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, prompting the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) to withdraw from an upcoming tri-nation series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The ACB confirmed that the players — Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon — were among those killed when an airstrike targeted a gathering in Urgun district after they had returned home from Sharana, where they were preparing for next month’s series. Five others also lost their lives in the attack.
“The Afghanistan Cricket Board expresses its deepest sorrow and grief over the tragic martyrdom of the brave cricketers from Urgun District in Paktika Province, who were targeted this evening in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime,” the board said in a post on X.
Following the attack, the ACB announced its withdrawal from the tri-series “as a gesture of respect to the victims.”
Players condemn attack
Afghanistan T20 captain Rashid Khan condemned the strikes and welcomed the ACB’s decision to pull out of the series.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani aerial strikes on Afghanistan. It is immoral and barbaric to target civilian infrastructure. Such unjust actions represent a grave violation of human rights,” he said on X.
Senior players Mohammad Nabi and Fazalhaq Farooqi also expressed outrage, calling the attack a “heinous and unforgivable crime” that had shaken the entire Afghan cricket family.
Rising tensions along the border
According to Afghan media reports, Pakistan carried out a series of airstrikes in Urgun and Barmal districts of Paktika on Friday, causing significant civilian casualties. The attack occurred despite a fragile 48-hour ceasefire agreement between the two nations.
Sources told Tolo News that the strikes violated the truce, which had been extended until the conclusion of Doha peace talks aimed at easing cross-border tensions. Negotiations between Kabul and Islamabad are set to resume on Saturday.
The deaths of the young athletes have deepened outrage across Afghanistan, casting a shadow over regional peace efforts and the future of cricket diplomacy between the two neighbouring countries.