Three Afghan cricketers killed in Pakistan airstrike, ACB pulls out of Tri-series

At least three Afghan cricketers were killed in a Pakistan airstrike in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed.

The players had travelled from Urgun to Sharana, near the Pakistan border, to participate in a friendly cricket match. The ACB identified the deceased players as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, adding that five other civilians also lost their lives in the strike.

“In this heartbreaking incident, three players (Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon), alongside five other fellow countrymen from Urgun District, were martyred, and seven others were injured. The players had earlier travelled 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 said in a statement.

Describing the strike as a devastating blow to the country’s sports community, the ACB expressed “deep sorrow and solidarity” with the bereaved families and people of Paktika.

“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,” it added.

The ACB also announced its decision to withdraw from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan, scheduled for late November, as a mark of respect for the victims.