At least three Afghan cricketers were killed in a Pakistani airstrike in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said on Friday. The victims, identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, had travelled from Urgun to Sharana to play in a friendly match. The ACB said the players were killed “after returning home to Urgun” when they were targeted “in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime.” Five others also lost their lives in the strike.

Condemning the attack, the ACB announced Afghanistan’s withdrawal from next month’s tri-nation series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka “as a gesture of respect to the victims.” In a post on X, the board expressed “deep sorrow and grief over the tragic martyrdom of the brave cricketers from Urgun District.”

Afghanistan’s T20 captain Rashid Khan strongly denounced the attack, calling it “immoral and barbaric.” He said, “The loss of innocent lives, including aspiring young cricketers, is a grave violation of human rights. I stand with our people—national dignity must come before all else.”

Senior player Mohammad Nabi said the incident was “a tragedy for the entire Afghan cricket family,” while pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi described it as “a heinous, unforgivable crime.”

According to Afghan media, Pakistani warplanes carried out multiple airstrikes in Paktika’s Urgun and Barmal districts, striking residential areas and causing significant civilian casualties. Kabul accused Islamabad of breaching a 48-hour ceasefire agreement that had been in place following several days of intense cross-border clashes.

The attacks occurred just as Pakistan called for an extension of the ceasefire to facilitate ongoing peace talks in Doha aimed at reducing tensions. Negotiations between the two sides are expected to resume on Saturday amid heightened regional unease.

At least three Afghan cricketers were killed in a Pakistani airstrike in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said on Friday. The victims, identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, had travelled from Urgun to Sharana to play in a friendly match. The ACB said the players were killed “after returning home to Urgun” when they were targeted “in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime.” Five others also lost their lives in the strike.

Condemning the attack, the ACB announced Afghanistan’s withdrawal from next month’s tri-nation series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka “as a gesture of respect to the victims.” In a post on X, the board expressed “deep sorrow and grief over the tragic martyrdom of the brave cricketers from Urgun District.”

Afghanistan’s T20 captain Rashid Khan strongly denounced the attack, calling it “immoral and barbaric.” He said, “The loss of innocent lives, including aspiring young cricketers, is a grave violation of human rights. I stand with our people—national dignity must come before all else.”

Senior player Mohammad Nabi said the incident was “a tragedy for the entire Afghan cricket family,” while pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi described it as “a heinous, unforgivable crime.”

According to Afghan media, Pakistani warplanes carried out multiple airstrikes in Paktika’s Urgun and Barmal districts, striking residential areas and causing significant civilian casualties. Kabul accused Islamabad of breaching a 48-hour ceasefire agreement that had been in place following several days of intense cross-border clashes.

The attacks occurred just as Pakistan called for an extension of the ceasefire to facilitate ongoing peace talks in Doha aimed at reducing tensions. Negotiations between the two sides are expected to resume on Saturday amid heightened regional unease.