Afghanistan Boycotts Pakistan Tri-Series After 3 Cricketers Die In PAK Airstrike | Cricket News


Last Updated:

Afghanistan has withdrawn from the T20 tri-series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka after three cricketers were killed in an alleged Pakistani airstrike in Urgun.

Afghanistan and Pakistan's cricket future is in jeopardy.

(PC: ACB)

Afghanistan and Pakistan’s cricket future is in jeopardy.

(PC: ACB)

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Saturday (October 18) announced that it has withdrawn from a scheduled T20 tri-series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka in response to the death of three cricketers and five more civilians in Urgun District in an alleged Pakistani airstrike.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had only announced the tri-series last month. It was to begin on November 17 and run till November 29, with matches in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

However, Pakistan and Afghanistan, former allies, were involved in a week of bloody clashes, with both claiming dozens of casualties on the other side. A 48-hour ceasefire was agreed on Wednesday, which the Taliban, the militant outfit that governs Afghanistan, now says Pakistan has broken with fresh strikes.

“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 ACB wrote in a long statement on its social media accounts.

“In this heartbreaking incident, three players (Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon) alongside 5 other fellow countrymen from Urgun District were martyred, and seven others were injured. The players had earlier traveled to Sharana, the capital of Paktika province, to participate in a friendly cricket match. After returning home to Urgun, they were targeted during a gathering.

“The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family. The ACB also extends its deepest condolences and solidarity to the bereaved families of the martyrs and to the people of Paktika Province. In response of this tragic incident and as a gesture of respect to the victims, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan, scheduled to be played in late November.”

The board concluded the statement with a message of strength and solidarity with the victims’ families.

This was the second tri-series involving Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2025, with the first concluding in the UAE days before the 2025 Asia Cup. It would have been their first such meeting on Pakistani soil.

News cricket Afghanistan Boycotts Pakistan Tri-Series After 3 Cricketers Die In PAK Airstrike
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Read More



Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *