{"id":99187,"date":"2025-10-18T19:04:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T19:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=99187"},"modified":"2025-10-18T19:04:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T19:04:09","slug":"afghanistan-pulls-out-of-cricket-series-after-it-says-pakistan-air-strike-killed-local-players","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=99187","title":{"rendered":"Afghanistan pulls out of cricket series after it says Pakistan air strike killed local players"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Afghanistan will no longer take part in an upcoming cricket series after three players in a local tournament were killed in an air strike, the nation\u2019s cricketing body says.<\/p>\n

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said it would withdraw from November\u2019s tri-nation T20 series out of respect for the dead, who it said were \u201ctargeted\u201d in an \u201cattack carried out by the Pakistani regime\u201d on Friday. The three did not play for the national team.<\/p>\n

The strike hit a home in Urgon district in Paktika province, where the players were eating dinner after a match, witnesses and local officials told the BBC.<\/p>\n

Eight people were killed, the ACB said. Pakistan said the strike hit militants and denied targeting civilians.<\/p>\n

The ACB named the three players who were killed as Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah and Haroon, calling their deaths \u201ca great loss for Afghanistan\u2019s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family\u201d.<\/p>\n

The International Cricket Council (ICC) said it was \u201cdeeply saddened and appalled\u201d by the \u201ctragic deaths of three young and promising Afghan cricketers\u201d in an air strike that also \u201cclaimed the lives of several civilians\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ICC stands in solidarity with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and echoes their grief,\u201d it said in a statement, adding that it \u201cstrongly condemns this act of violence\u201d.<\/p>\n

The attack came hours after\u00a0a temporary truce between Afghanistan and Pakistan\u00a0was due to expire following days of deadly clashes on the border between the two nations. Dozens of casualties have been reported.<\/p>\n

Pakistan said it had targeted Afghan militants in the air strike and that at least 70 combatants had been killed.<\/p>\n

Pakistan\u2019s Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar said claims that the attack targeted civilians are \u201cfalse and meant to generate support for terrorist groups operating from inside Afghanistan\u201d.<\/p>\n

In a social media post, Afghan national team captain Rashid Khan paid tribute to the \u201caspiring young cricketers who dreamed of representing their nation on the world stage\u201d.<\/p>\n

Other players for the Afghan national side joined the tributes, including Fazalhaq Farooqi, who said the attack was a \u201cheinous, unforgivable crime\u201d.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, large crowds of people were seen gathering at the funeral for the strike\u2019s victims.<\/p>\n

\"Afghanistan<\/figure>\n

The strike came after Pakistani officials said seven soldiers were killed in a suicide attack near the Afghan border on Friday.<\/p>\n

The 48-hour truce between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which began on Wednesday at 13:00 GMT, has reportedly been extended to allow for negotiations.<\/p>\n

An Afghan delegation arrived in the Qatari capital of Doha on Saturday for peace talks with the Pakistani side.<\/p>\n

The Taliban government said it would take part in the talks despite \u201cPakistani aggression\u201d, which it says was Islamabad\u2019s attempt to prolong the conflict.<\/p>\n

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Pakistan should \u201creconsider its policies, and pursue friendly and civilised relations\u201d with Afghanistan.<\/p>\n

Pakistan\u2019s Foreign Office said on Saturday that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif would lead the country\u2019s delegation in Doha.<\/p>\n

It said the talks will focus on ending cross-border terrorism and restoring peace and stability on the Pakistan-Afghan border.<\/p>\n

Zimbabwe will now replace Afghanistan in the T20 series.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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