Afghanistan Withdraws From Tri-Series
Afghanistan has pulled out of the T20 tri-nation series that was to be hosted in Pakistan, following the death of three Afghan cricketers in a cross-border airstrike. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the decision in a statement.
Players Killed in Border Strike
The board identified the cricketers as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon. They were among eight people killed in Paktika province near the Pakistan border. Seven others were reported injured in the incident.
Scheduled Series Cancelled
The tri-series, which was scheduled for November and was to feature Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka, will now go ahead without Afghanistan’s participation. The ACB said the withdrawal was in protest against the “cowardly” strike that targeted its players.
Rising Tensions
The development comes amid growing tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where both sides have exchanged accusations of cross-border attacks in recent weeks. The incident is expected to strain cricketing ties further and complicate regional diplomacy.
