Kabul, Afghanistan-The Afghanistan Cricket Board announced its withdrawal from the upcoming T20 Tri-Nation Series in Pakistan following the recent military operations in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. Reports claimed that three Afghan cricketers, Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, along with several civilians, were killed during the strikes.
ACB expressed condolences to the families of those affected, while cricket captain Rashid Khan condemned the strikes as “absolutely immoral and barbaric” and removed his association with the Lahore Qalandars from his social media profile.
Pakistan Reiterates Targeted Operations
In response to the ACB’s claims, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement clarifying that the recent military operations were targeted at terrorist hideouts of the Gul Bahadur Group in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. The Ministry emphasized that the precision strikes were based on verified intelligence and aimed at neutralizing terrorist leadership, including key commanders of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Network. Pakistan reiterated that the operations were not directed at civilians or sports figures.
The spokesperson further stressed that the ACB statement is a deliberate attempt to cover up the presence of terrorist networks in Paktika and divert attention from Afghanistan’s role in harboring these groups.
Rashid Khan Reacts Amid Controversy
Rashid Khan expressed grief over the loss of civilian lives, calling the strikes immoral and barbaric. While acknowledging the human cost, Pakistan maintains that the strikes were not directed at civilians or athletes, and the reported fatalities were collateral in the course of neutralizing verified militant threats.
In response, legendary cricketer Shahid Afridi emphasized Pakistan’s longstanding support for Afghan brothers. He highlighted that Pakistan has always considered Afghan troubles as its own, opening its borders and accommodating over four million refugees. Afridi shared that he personally supports 350 Afghan families according to his resources.
He added that, with utmost regret, recent actions by Afghanistan amounted to open aggression along the borders, which Pakistan’s forces had to respond to decisively. Afridi urged Afghanistan to remember that Pakistan is a brotherly Islamic country and that its support should not be used to harbor terrorists targeting Pakistan.
Impact on the Tri-Series
The ACB’s withdrawal affects the T20 Tri-Nation Series in Rawalpindi and Lahore, originally scheduled from November 17 to 29, 2025. The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed that the series will continue with Sri Lanka, with potential replacements being considered for Afghanistan.
