The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has verified the heartbreaking deaths of three players – Kabir, Sibghatullah and Haroon – in a Pakistani airstrike in Paktika. The young players were returning home after a friendly match when their vehicle was attacked.
Terming the incident a “heinous act”, the ACB strongly condemned Afghanistan’s immediate withdrawal from the upcoming tri-nation T20 series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka to be held in Rawalpindi and Lahore next month.
Rashid Khan condemns “immoral and barbaric” attack
Captain Rashid Khan took to social media to express his anger, calling the attack “immoral and barbaric”. He said the attack had not only taken the lives of innocent people but also shattered the dreams of aspiring cricketers who represented the stagnation of Afghanistan’s youth.
Rashid supported the ACB’s decision to withdraw, saying, “National values come before everything.” He called on international justice bodies to condemn the human rights violations during this tragedy and stand by Afghanistan.
Fast bowler Fazlul Haque Farooqui called the attack a “heinous and intolerable crime,” while veteran player Mohammad Nabi described it as a “public tragedy.” Both said the loss went beyond justice – it was a painful blow to the nation.
Wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz prayed for the victims, calling for “divine justice” to prevail against those responsible for the attack.
Exiled Afghan MP Maryam Sulaimankhil accused Pakistan of “planned terrorism”, saying the attacks were retaliation for Afghanistan’s strengthening ties with India. Speaking from the United States, she suggested that Pakistan’s militarism was a problem for stability in South Asia.
In direct contact with Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, Sulaimankhil said, “You reap what you sow,” blaming the army for creating madness and spreading violence. She also called for a boycott of international justice in Pakistan, arguing that no sports body should ally itself with a government that kills innocent civilians and poachers.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board expressed deep outrage at the deaths of the players in an official statement, calling the airstrikes “unbearable atrocities”. The ACB said the withdrawal from the series was a sign of respect for the victims and their families.
It called on international sports federations to take action against aggression and uphold the values of peace and quality. “Sport should never be tainted by violence,” the board reminded.
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