3 Afghan players killed in Pakistan bomb attack, team withdraws from triangular series

New Delhi, October 18 (IANS). Military conflict continues between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan once again carried out an airstrike on Afghanistan, in which three Afghan players were killed. To confirm this, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has decided not to participate in the upcoming triangular series against Pakistan. All three players who lost their lives in the Pakistan attack were club-level cricketers who returned to Argun district after the match was over. Meanwhile, he was targeted in the bombing. Providing this information on social media platform ‘X’, ACB wrote: “Afghanistan Cricket Board expresses deep grief over the martyrdom of the brave cricketers of Urgun district of Paktika province, who were targeted in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime. In this heartbreaking incident, three players from Urgun district (Kabir, Sib-man) and five other lands with them and other lands of Urgun, were tortured, while seven others were injured. These players had earlier gone to Sharana, the capital of Paktika province, to play in a friendly cricket match. After he returned to Urgun, he was targeted.” The triangular T20 series will be played between Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan from November 17, but amid the military conflict with Pakistan, ACB has decided to withdraw from this series. The board wrote: “ACB considers this a great loss to the sports community of Afghanistan, its athletes and the cricket family. The ACB also expresses its deepest condolences and solidarity with the bereaved families of the martyrs and the people of Paktika province. Following this tragic incident and out of respect for the victims, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided not to participate do not accept the Afghanistan Cricket Board. T20 series in Pakistan at the end of November. Decided.” Afghanistan’s star cricketer Rashid Khan expressed grief over this incident and wrote on ‘X’: “I am deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan. It is a tragedy in which the lives of women, children and those aspiring young cricketers who dreamed of representing their country on the world stage have been lost.” “Targeting civilian infrastructure is completely immoral and barbaric. These unjust and illegal actions are a serious violation of human rights. They must not be ignored,” he wrote. Supporting the decision to pull out of the tri-series against Pakistan, Rashid Khan wrote: “After the loss of innocent lives, I welcome the ACB’s decision to pull out of the upcoming matches against Pakistan. I am with our people in this difficult time.” –IANS RSG/AS