Afghanistan will no longer take part in an upcoming cricket series after three players in a local tournament were killed in an air strike, the nation's cricketing body says. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced its withdrawal from November's tri-nation T20 series out of respect for the deceased, who it described as 'targeted' in an 'attack carried out by the Pakistani regime' on Friday. The strike reportedly hit a home in Urgon district of Paktika province, where the players were having dinner post-match, according to witnesses and local officials.
Eight people were killed, with the ACB identifying the three slain players as Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon. Their deaths were described by the ACB as 'a great loss for Afghanistan's sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family'. The International Cricket Council (ICC) expressed its sadness and condemnation of the incident, which also claimed several civilian lives.
The attack occurred shortly after a temporary truce between Afghanistan and Pakistan expired following a series of deadly clashes along the border. Pakistan insists that their air strike was aimed at militants and denied targeting civilians, amidst a rising death toll on both sides.
In a social media post, Afghan captain Rashid Khan paid tribute to the victims, emphasizing the dreams they had of representing their nation on the international cricket stage. The brutal incident has sparked widespread tributes and funeral gatherings across Afghanistan, marking a profound loss for a nation that cherishes cricket as a unifying force in times of strife. With Afghanistan now out of the T20 series, Zimbabwe is set to take its place.
Eight people were killed, with the ACB identifying the three slain players as Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon. Their deaths were described by the ACB as 'a great loss for Afghanistan's sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family'. The International Cricket Council (ICC) expressed its sadness and condemnation of the incident, which also claimed several civilian lives.
The attack occurred shortly after a temporary truce between Afghanistan and Pakistan expired following a series of deadly clashes along the border. Pakistan insists that their air strike was aimed at militants and denied targeting civilians, amidst a rising death toll on both sides.
In a social media post, Afghan captain Rashid Khan paid tribute to the victims, emphasizing the dreams they had of representing their nation on the international cricket stage. The brutal incident has sparked widespread tributes and funeral gatherings across Afghanistan, marking a profound loss for a nation that cherishes cricket as a unifying force in times of strife. With Afghanistan now out of the T20 series, Zimbabwe is set to take its place.
