Afghanistan will no longer take part in an upcoming cricket series after three players in a local tournament were killed in an air strike, the nation's cricketing body says.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) stated it would withdraw from November's tri-nation T20 series out of respect for the dead, who it claimed were targeted in an attack carried out by the Pakistani regime on Friday. These players did not play for the national team.
The strike struck a home in the Urgon district of Paktika province, where the players were having dinner after a match, according to witnesses and local officials.
Eight individuals were confirmed dead by the ACB. Pakistan, however, claimed the strike targeted militants and denied any civilian casualties.
The ACB has identified the deceased players as Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, lamenting their loss as a significant blow to Afghanistan's sports community and cricket family.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) expressed deep sorrow and condemnation over the tragic deaths, echoing the ACB's sentiments and labeling the strike an act of violence.
This incident occurred just hours after a temporary truce between Afghanistan and Pakistan was set to expire, following deadly clashes reported along their border.
Pakistan asserted that the air strike targeted Afghan militants and reported the deaths of at least 70 combatants. Pakistan's Information Minister refuted claims of civilian targeting, calling them false and suggesting they aimed to gain support for terrorist organizations within Afghanistan.
Captain of the Afghan national team, Rashid Khan, paid tribute to the young cricketers who aspired to represent their nation internationally, while other team members condemned the incident as an unforgivable crime.
Large gatherings attended the funeral for the victims as mourning enveloped the sports community. The attack followed a reported suicide assault near the Afghan border, which resulted in the deaths of seven Pakistani soldiers.
The 48-hour truce imposed previously has now been extended to facilitate further negotiations. An Afghan delegation has been sent to Doha for peace discussions with Pakistani officials amid ongoing tensions, with the Taliban government committed to participating despite grievances over what it terms as Pakistani aggression.
Zimbabwe is set to replace Afghanistan in the T20 series.
