Three Afghan cricketers killed in Pakistani airstrike, claims ACB

They have been identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon.

The ACB said they had travelled from Urgun to Sharana in the eastern Paktika province on the Pakistan border to take part in a friendly match.

The ACB said apart from cricketers, five other people were killed in the strike.

"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," read the statement issued by the ACB.

The board further said: " 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."

ACB withdraws from tri-series

Responding to the incident, the ACB said it has decided to withdraw from the tri-series, involving Pakistan, that will be held in Sri Lanka in November.

"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 board said.

Afghanistani cricketer Rashid Khan mourned the loss of lives in the incident and wrote on X: "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."

Criticising the strikes, he said targeting civilian infrastructure is a 'barbaric' act.

"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," Khan said.

Welcoming ACB's decision to withdraw from the upcoming series, he said: "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."

Hours after Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to extend their 48-hour ceasefire, the Taliban accused Islamabad of carrying out airstrikes in several districts of Paktika province, which lies along the Durand Line, media reports said.

According to TOLOnews, the strikes targeted residential areas in the Argun and Bermal districts near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The fresh escalation has raised concerns over the fragility of the ceasefire agreement between the two sides, which was extended after days of border clashes and diplomatic tensions.