3 Afghan cricketers killed in Pakistani airstrike; Board pulls team from Tri-Nation series

The players had earlier travelled to Sharana, the provincial capital of Paktika, to participate in a friendly cricket match

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Saturday mourned the deaths of three Afghan cricketers killed in a Pakistani airstrike in Paktika province, announcing that it will withdraw from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series involving Pakistan.

The ACB, in a statement on X, wrote, “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 evening in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime.”

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Who were the players?

According to the board, the deceased players -- Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon -- were among eight people killed in the airstrike in Urgun district, where seven others were also injured.

The players had earlier travelled to Sharana, the provincial capital of Paktika, to participate in a friendly cricket match. They were targeted after returning home to Urgun during a local gathering, according to the ACB.

"In this heartbreaking incident, three players (Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon), alongside 5 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 board stated.

"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.

In response to the incident, the ACB announced that it would not take part in the Tri-Nation T20I series scheduled for late November, which was to feature Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

"In response of 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," the statement read.

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Afghanistan-Pak tensions

Pakistan launched a series of airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province on Friday, breaching a 48-hour ceasefire agreement reached after intense border clashes, according to Tolo News. The attacks mark a major setback to the fragile truce between the neighbouring nations.

Earlier, Pakistan also called for an extension of the ceasefire until the end of the ongoing Doha negotiations aimed at easing tensions and preventing cross-border violence.

According to Tolo News, citing sources, the 48-hour ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan was extended, at Pakistan's request, until the conclusion of the ongoing talks in Doha. Negotiations between the two sides are set to begin on Saturday.

On Wednesday, Pakistan's Foreign Office announced that a temporary ceasefire had been reached with Afghanistan for the next 48 hours, following days of intense cross-border clashes between the two sides.

According to Pakistan's Foreign Office, "A temporary ceasefire has been decided between the Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban regime, with the mutual consent of both parties, for the next 48 hours from 6 pm today, at the request of the Taliban."

The statement added that "during this period, both sides will make sincere efforts to find a positive solution to this complex but solvable issue through constructive dialogue.

Taliban regime spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed on X that Afghan forces had been instructed to respect the truce "unless any aggression takes place."