KABUL/ISLAMABAD: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced its withdrawal from the upcoming tri-nation T20 International (T20I) series in Pakistan, citing the tragic deaths of three Afghan domestic cricketers and other civilians in recent cross-border airstrikes.
According to reports, The series, which was also set to feature Sri Lanka, was scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore in November.
In a powerful statement, the ACB confirmed the deaths of three local cricketers, identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, from the Urgun District in Paktika Province. According to the board, the players were killed, along with five other countrymen, during a gathering after returning from a friendly match in Sharana, the provincial capital.
The ACB condemned the incident as a “cowardly assault carried out by the Pakistani regime” and called the loss a “great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community.”
“In response to 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,” the statement read.
