According to the ACB, the players had traveled from Urgun to Sharana in eastern Paktika province, near the Pakistan border, to participate in a friendly match.
Guwahati: Afghanistan has withdrawn from the tri-nation series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka scheduled for next month, following the deaths of three Afghan cricketers in an attack, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed on Friday.
According to the ACB, the players had traveled from Urgun to Sharana in eastern Paktika province, near the Pakistan border, to participate in a friendly match.
The board stated that "after returning home to Urgun, they were targeted during a gathering" in what it described as "a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime."
The victims have been identified as "Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon." The attack also claimed the lives of five other individuals. No further details regarding the circumstances of the incident were provided.
The ACB expressed that the loss represents a significant setback for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family.
It extended its "deepest condolences and solidarity to the bereaved families" and noted that the decision to withdraw from next month’s tri-series was made "as a gesture of respect to the victims."
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan shared his grief on social media, writing: "I am deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani aerial strikes on Afghanistan. A tragedy that claimed the lives of women, children, and aspiring young cricketers who dreamed of representing their nation on the world stage." He added, "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 to withdraw from upcoming fixtures against Pakistan. I stand with our people at this difficult time, our national dignity must come before all else."
Afghan international cricketer Fazalhaq Farooqi expressed his grief on social media, writing: "The massacre of innocent civilians and our domestic cricket players by these oppressors is a heinous, unforgivable crime." Another international player, Mohammad Nabi, commented: "This incident is not only a tragedy for Paktika but for the entire Afghan cricket family and the nation as a whole."
