Afghanistan will no longer take part in an upcoming cricket series after it says three players in a local tournament were killed in an air strike.
The Afghan Cricket Board (ACB) stated it would withdraw from November's tri-nation T20 series out of respect for the three players, who did not play for the national team, who the board claimed were targeted in an attack carried out by the Pakistani regime on Friday evening.
The strike hit a home in Urgon district in eastern Paktika province, where the cricketers were eating dinner together after a match, eyewitnesses and local officials told the BBC.
The ACB reported that eight people were killed in the strike, with Pakistan saying that militants were the target and denying civilian casualties.
Identified by the ACB, the deceased cricketers—Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon—were described as a great loss for Afghanistan's sports community and the cricketing family.
This attack transpired shortly after a temporary truce between Afghanistan and Pakistan was set to expire following days of violent clashes along the border, leading to numerous casualties.
Pakistan claimed its airstrike targeted Afghan militants and reported at least 70 militants were killed.
Pakistan’s Minister of Information, Attaullah Tarar, dismissed claims of civilian casualties as false and a means to garner support for terrorist activities from within Afghanistan.
Larger crowds gathered for the victims’ funeral, with Afghan national team captain Rashid Khan honoring the aspiring young cricketers who dreamed of representing their nation on the world stage.
Other players, including Fazalhaq Farooqi, condemned the attack, calling it a heinous, unforgivable crime.
The airstrike followed reports of a suicide attack near the Afghan border that killed seven Pakistani soldiers.
Negotiations are ongoing in Doha as an Afghan delegation seeks discussions with Pakistan, although the Taliban have vowed to participate in talks despite alleging Pakistani aggression.
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged Pakistan to reevaluate its policies towards Afghanistan for more amicable relations.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif is leading negotiations to address concerns surrounding cross-border terrorism and peace restoration.
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