Afghanistan Withdraws from Pakistan Tri-Series Following Deadly Airstrike
Paktika – The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced the withdrawal of its national team from next month’s Twenty20 tri-series in Pakistan following the deaths of three Afghan cricketers in recent military strikes in southeastern Afghanistan. The decision comes amid growing concern and mourning within Afghanistan’s sports community over the incident, which occurred in Paktika province on Friday.
According to an official statement released by the ACB on Saturday, the players were “targeted during a gathering” in Urgun district after returning from a friendly cricket match in Sharana, the provincial capital of Paktika. Local officials reported that the strike killed at least ten people who were at a residence during the attack.
ACB spokesperson Said Nasim Sadat identified the deceased players as Kabeer Agha Argon, Sibghatullah Zirok, and Haroon — the latter known by a single name, as is common in Afghanistan. The board described the deaths as a “heartbreaking loss” for Afghan cricket and stated that withdrawing from the tri-series was both a symbolic and respectful response to the tragedy.
“The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family,” the board said. “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.”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) expressed its condolences and condemned the violence, stating that it was “deeply saddened and appalled by the tragic deaths of three young and promising Afghan cricketers.” The ICC further emphasized that “acts of violence rob families, communities, and the cricketing world of bright talents whose only ambition was to play the sport they loved.”
Fellow Afghan cricketer Saifullah Khan, who visited the injured players in the hospital, spoke to reporters and called for peace. “We are athletes and ambassadors of peace,” he said. “We don’t want there to be any more bombings or killings like this.”
Funeral prayers for the players were held in Paktika on Saturday, drawing several thousand mourners. People gathered in open fields as local clerics led prayers and delivered messages of solidarity and condemnation over the incident.
Afghanistan’s cricket captain Rashid Khan and the Afghanistan Sports Journalists Federation both supported the ACB’s decision to withdraw from the tournament. The journalists’ federation issued a statement denouncing the strike as “a violation of humanitarian and international norms” and urged all parties to protect civilians and athletes from conflict-related harm.
The tri-nation T20 series, originally scheduled for November 17–29 in Rawalpindi and Lahore, was set to feature Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka as part of the teams’ preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Following Afghanistan’s withdrawal, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that Zimbabwe would replace Afghanistan in the tournament lineup.
“The PCB respects the decision of the Afghanistan Cricket Board and extends its sympathies to the Afghan cricketing community,” the board said in a brief statement. It added that Zimbabwe Cricket had agreed to participate in the event on short notice to ensure that the tournament proceeds as planned.
Pakistan and Afghanistan had recently faced each other in a similar three-nation tournament held in the United Arab Emirates in September, where Pakistan defeated Afghanistan in the final. The series was seen as part of ongoing efforts to promote regional cricket cooperation despite political and security challenges in South Asia.
While the withdrawal has disrupted Afghanistan’s competitive schedule ahead of the World Cup, the ACB stated that its priority at the moment is honoring the memory of the deceased players and supporting their families. The incident has sparked broader discussions about the safety of athletes in conflict zones and the importance of shielding sports from geopolitical tensions.
The ACB concluded its statement with a call for unity: “Our players represent hope, peace, and resilience. Their dreams should never be silenced by violence. Afghanistan cricket stands with the families of the victims and the spirit of sportsmanship that binds nations together.”
