Afghanistan withdrew from its tri-series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka, saying it was a gesture of respect for the slain cricketers and civilians.
BY PC Bureau
October 17: At least three young Afghan cricketers were killed in a Pakistani airstrike in Afghanistan’s Paktika province on Friday, in what has become one of the most controversial cross-border incidents between the two countries in recent months. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the deaths and condemned what it called a “cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime.”
According to the ACB, the victims — identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon — had travelled from Urgun to Sharana, the provincial capital of Paktika, to participate in a friendly cricket match. The players had returned home to Urgun after the match and were attending a local gathering when the area was struck by Pakistani aircraft. The ACB said that five other civilians were also killed, though details about the strike and its targets remain unclear.
“The Afghanistan Cricket Board expresses its deepest sorrow and grief over the tragic martyrdom of the brave cricketers from Urgun District in Paktika Province,” the board said on X (formerly Twitter). “They were targeted this evening in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime.”
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Local Afghan media, including TOLO News, reported that Pakistani forces carried out multiple coordinated airstrikes across Paktika’s Urgun and Barmal districts, regions along the volatile Durand Line border. The attacks reportedly struck residential areas and gatherings, causing significant civilian casualties.
Islamabad has not issued an official statement, but Pakistani intelligence sources told domestic outlets that the strikes were aimed at Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts operating inside Afghan territory. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban-led Afghan government of harboring TTP militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
However, Kabul has denied these claims, insisting that Pakistan’s airstrikes deliberately target civilians under the pretext of anti-terror operations. Afghan authorities said the attacks constitute a “clear violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and international law.”
Ceasefire Breached Before Doha Talks
The deadly incident comes amid a fragile 48-hour ceasefire between the two neighbors, following days of intense border clashes near Spin Boldak and Chaman crossing points. Both sides had agreed to a temporary truce as part of Doha-mediated talks aimed at de-escalating tensions.
The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the strikes represented a “serious breach” of the ceasefire, warning that they could jeopardize upcoming Doha peace negotiations, scheduled to resume on Saturday.
🇦🇫 Heartbreaking news from Afghanistan.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has withdrawn from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series with Pakistan after cowardly airstrikes from Pakistan last night killed three cricketers from Paktika — along with many family members, friends & children… pic.twitter.com/Vvrt82THkN
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) October 18, 2025
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns the Pakistani air aggression in Paktika. These attacks on our territory and civilians will have consequences,” an official Taliban government spokesperson said in a statement.
In the wake of the incident, the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced its withdrawal from the upcoming tri-nation T20 series featuring Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which was set to take place in Lahore next month. The board said the decision was “a gesture of respect” for the victims and their families.
“The ACB cannot in good conscience participate in a sporting event with a country that has killed its own athletes,” a senior board official told reporters in Kabul. “This decision reflects our national solidarity and moral duty.”
Cricketers and Public Figures Express Outrage
Afghanistan’s T20 captain Rashid Khan led the tributes to the slain players, calling the incident “barbaric and immoral.”
“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,” he wrote on X.
Khan further described the bombing of civilian areas as “a grave violation of human rights and international law,” adding that “our national dignity must come before all else.”
Former captain Mohammad Nabi echoed his sentiment, writing: “This incident is not only a tragedy for Paktika but for the entire Afghan cricket family and the nation as a whole.”
Fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi called the attack “a heinous and unforgivable crime,” emphasizing that the loss of young players represented “a blow to Afghanistan’s cricketing future and national pride.”
The attack has sparked outrage across Afghanistan, with citizens and activists calling for international condemnation and a UN-led investigation into Pakistan’s cross-border operations. Hashtags such as #JusticeForPaktikaCricketers and #StopPakAirstrikes trended on Afghan social media platforms on Friday night.
Several Afghan lawmakers in exile also urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to suspend cricketing ties with Pakistan, arguing that “sports diplomacy cannot exist in the shadow of civilian bloodshed.”
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International South Asia, expressed concern over the reports, calling on both nations to ensure the protection of civilians and uphold international humanitarian law.
A History of Tense Relations
The Afghanistan–Pakistan border, demarcated by the Durand Line, has been a long-standing source of friction between the two countries. Pakistan’s repeated cross-border military operations have drawn criticism from Kabul, which accuses Islamabad of violating its sovereignty under the guise of counterterrorism.
In return, Pakistan accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of sheltering the TTP, a militant organization responsible for numerous deadly attacks on Pakistani soil. Despite multiple rounds of negotiations, the two sides have failed to establish a lasting mechanism to prevent cross-border incidents.
Friday’s airstrike — which killed young Afghan athletes — risks deepening the divide at a time when regional tensions are already high. Observers warn that the incident could derail ongoing peace talks, strain bilateral diplomacy, and inflame anti-Pakistan sentiment among ordinary Afghans.
