Afghan cricketers killed in Pakistan strike
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) strongly condemned the incident, confirming that players Kabir, Sibghatullah, and Haroon were among the victims.
KATHMANDU: Three Afghan cricketers lost their lives in a cross-border attack carried out by Pakistan in Afghanistan’s Paktika province.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) strongly condemned the incident, confirming that players Kabir, Sibghatullah, and Haroon were among the victims.
The attack also claimed the lives of five civilians, according to the board.
In a statement issued on Friday evening, the ACB announced its decision to withdraw from the upcoming T20 Tri-Nation Series scheduled to be held in Pakistan later this November, as a mark of respect and protest.
The series, featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka, was set to take place in Lahore and Rawalpindi from Nov 17 to 29.
“These players were deliberately targeted in Friday evening’s attack originating from Pakistan,” the ACB stated. “In honor of the fallen players and in protest against this tragic incident, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to pull out of the T20 Tri-Series with Pakistan.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet commented on the matter. Analysts say the incident is likely to further strain cricketing and diplomatic ties between the two neighboring nations.
