Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi were among Afghanistan cricket stars slamming Pakistan for an “immoral and barbaric” air strike that led to the deaths of three Afghan cricketers. The air strike took place in Paktika province in eastern Afghanistan late on Friday, hours after the two nations had agreed to extend a ceasefire agreement amid peace talks, with at least 10 deaths being reported so far.
The three cricketers – identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon – hailed from the city of Urgun and had travelled to the provincial capital of Sharana for a friendly match. It was after they had returned home when they lost their lives while at a gathering.
The deadly attack served as a breaking point for the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), which had been dismissing rumours of a pullout from an upcoming T20I triangular series in Pakistan but officially withdrew from the tournament on Saturday.
Rashid, Nabi hail ACB’s decision to withdraw from Pakistan tour
It also drew widespread condemnation from leading Afghan cricketers such as spin icon and current T20I captain Rashid as well as Nabi – who has been part of the national team for nearly two decades.
“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,” Rashid said in a statement shared on social media.
“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 of withdrawing from upcoming fixtures against Pakistan. I stand with our people at this difficult time, our national dignity must come before all else,” he added.
Former captain Nabi, who had learned the game in refugee camps in Pakistan, described the attack as a tragedy not just for the province of Paktika but for the “entire Afghan cricket family and the nation”.
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More Shorts“I am deeply saddened to hear about the martyrdom of young cricketers in the brutal airstrike by the Pakistani military regime. This incident is not only a tragedy for Paktika but for the entire Afghan cricket family and the nation as a whole,” the 40-year-old said.
Naib, Farooqi slam ‘brutal act by the Pakistani army’
Senior all-rounder Gulbadin Naib and left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi were some of the other international stars who condemned the attack on the Afghan cricketers and other civilians.
“The massacre of innocent civilians and our domestic cricket players by these oppressors is a heinous, unforgivable crime. May Almighty Allah grant the martyrs the highest place in Paradise, humiliate the perpetrators, and subject them to His wrath. The killing of players and civilians is not honor — it is the deepest disgrace. Long live Afghanistan,” Farooqi wrote on X.
“We are deeply saddened by the cowardly military attack in Argun, Paktika, that martyred innocent civilians and fellow cricketers. This brutal act by the Pakistani army is an assault on our people, pride, and independence.but it will never break the Afghan spirit,” seam-bowling all-rounder Naib commented on the social networking platform.
Afghanistan were scheduled to travel to Pakistan for a T20I triangular series from 17 to 29 November with Sri Lanka as the third team and matches taking place in Lahore and Rawalpindi.
The Afghan withdrawal, however, will force the Pakistan Cricket Board to make alternate plans, with reports suggesting they could travel to Sri Lanka for a three-match series in the same format in January.