Afghanistan pulls out of tri-series in Pakistan after 3 players killed in attack

According to reports, three cricketers, Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon, who were returning home after playing a friendly match in Sharana, the capital of Paktika province, were among the casualties. Hours after the attack, the ACB said, “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 (Friday) evening in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime. In this heartbreaking incident, three players alongside five other fellow countrymen 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 considers this a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family. 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, scheduled to be played in late November,” it said.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in a statement, said “the loss of innocent lives was deeply distressing and a matter of great concern”, while the International Cricket Council (ICC) said it was “appalled by the tragic deaths of three young and promising Afghan cricketers”. “The ICC strongly condemns this act of violence that has robbed families, communities, and the cricketing world of three bright talents whose only ambition was to play the sport they loved,” the ICC said.

The BCCI said it “stands in solidarity with the ACB, the cricket fraternity, and the families of the departed players during this moment of profound grief and condemns this ghastly and unwarranted attack”.

ACB’s decision to pull out received widespread support from its players. Their captain, Rashid Khan, said in a statement, “It is absolutely immoral and barbaric to target civilian infrastructure. These unjust and unlawful actions represent a grave violation of human rights and must not go unnoticed. In light of the precious innocent souls lost, I welcome the ACB’s decision of withdrawing from upcoming fixtures against Pakistan. I stand with our people at this difficult time, our national dignity must come before all else.”

Following Rashid’s statements, there were calls asking the all-rounder to pull out of the Pakistan Super League, where he represented Lahore Qalandars in the past.

Fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi echoed similar statements on his Facebook page: “The massacre of innocent civilians and our domestic cricket players by these oppressors is a heinous, unforgivable crime. The killing of players and civilians is not honour — it is the deepest disgrace.”

Former captain and all-rounder Mohammad Nabi posted on Facebook, “This incident is a big grief not only for Paktika, but for the entire Afghan cricket family and nation.”

In the past, citing security concerns, many countries have refused to travel to Pakistan. While most of this was in the early 2000s, after the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, international cricket came to a standstill in the country before it resumed in recent years.

India has refused to play any bilateral series with Pakistan due to the Indian government’s stand against terror-related activities. Both teams, however, face off in ICC and Asia Cup events, with the recent continental tournament witnessing tensions between both teams and their cricket boards.

India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav had decided not to shake hands with his Pakistan counterpart Salman Agha during the three matches between the two teams at the Asia Cup. India, the winners of the Asia Cup after beating Pakistan in the final, were adamant that they would not receive the trophy from Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi, also Pakistan’s interior minister.

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