The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) withdrew its national team from next month’s Twenty20 tri-series in Pakistan amid the ongoing tensions between the two nations.
The ACB said in a post on social media that three local Afghan cricketers died due to Pakistan military strikes in southeastern Paktika province on Friday.
“Cricketers were “targeted during a gathering” in Urgun district when they returned home after playing a friendly cricket match in Sharana, the capital of Paktika province,” ACB added and termed the incident as a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family.
“In response of this tragic incident and as a gesture of respect to the victims, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series.”
The tri-series, also featuring Sri Lanka, was due to be played between Nov. 17-29 in Rawalpindi and Lahore as part of the teams’ preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
It would have been the second tri-series featuring Pakistan and Afghanistan in four months, after both teams competed in a three-nation tournament in the United Arab Emirates in September. Pakistan beat Afghanistan in the final of that tournament.
