Afghanistan’s captain Rashid Khan has expressed his support for the decision to withdraw from the tri-nation series in Pakistan.
The Afghan cricket team’s star players have expressed deep grief and strong condemnation following the deaths of several people, including three cricketers, in a recent attack by Pakistan. In protest of the attack, Afghanistan decided to pull out of the tri-nation series in Pakistan, a decision fully backed by T20 captain Rashid Khan.
According to various Afghan news outlets, at least ten people were killed in Pakistan’s attack in Afghanistan’s Urgun district. Among the victims were three local cricketers returning home after playing a friendly match in Sharan, the capital of Paktika province.
Tensions and attacks along the two countries’ borders have been ongoing for some time, and this latest incident, coupled with the death of promising young cricketers, has intensified the situation.
On social media, Afghanistan’s biggest cricket star, Rashid Khan, voiced his anger and sorrow.
“I am deeply saddened by the deaths of civilians in Pakistan’s recent airstrike in Afghanistan. This tragic incident has taken the lives of women, children, and young cricketers who dreamed of representing Afghanistan on the world stage.”
“Targeting civilian infrastructure is completely unethical and barbaric. Such injustice and illegal actions are a serious violation of human rights and cannot go unnoticed.”
In response to the attack, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has already announced that they will not participate in the tri-nation series in Pakistan scheduled for next month.
The series, set for November 17–29 in Rawalpindi and Lahore, was to feature Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka ahead of the T20 World Cup in February. Rashid Khan fully supports the board’s decision.
“Given the loss of innocent lives, I welcome the board’s decision to withdraw from the series against Pakistan. In this difficult time, I stand with the people of my country. National dignity must take precedence over anything else.”
Another prominent Afghan cricketer, Mohammad Nabi, also expressed his grief on social media, calling the attack a huge blow to the nation.
“The deaths of brave cricketers in Urgun, Paktika, following a friendly match, are extremely tragic. This incident is not just a blow to Paktika but to the entire Afghan cricket family and the nation. My deepest condolences go out to the families of the innocent cricketers, their loved ones, and the people of Paktika.”
All-rounder Gulbadin Naib echoed the same sentiment:
“We are deeply saddened by the cowardly military attack in Urgun, Paktika, where civilians and our fellow cricketers were martyred. The brutal actions of the Pakistani army are a severe blow to our people, our national pride, and our independence. Yet, such acts cannot break the Afghan spirit.”
Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi added that Pakistan’s attack is unforgivable:
“The way the oppressors have killed innocent civilians and our domestic cricketers is utterly heinous and unforgivable. May Almighty Allah grant the martyrs the highest place in paradise and punish the perpetrators accordingly. There is nothing proud about killing civilians and cricketers — rather, it is the deepest dishonor. Long live Afghanistan.”
