The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced its withdrawal from the upcoming tri-nation T20 series in Pakistan, following the killing of three local cricketers in an attack by Pakistani forces in Argun district of Afghanistan’s Paktika province.
The series, scheduled to take place from November 17 to 29 in Rawalpindi and Lahore, was set to feature Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. However, in protest of the incident, the ACB has decided not to participate.
In a statement posted last night on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the ACB expressed deep sorrow and condemnation, saying:
“The Afghanistan Cricket Board extends its deepest condolences for the tragic deaths of the brave cricketers from Paktika province’s Argun district, who were victims of a cowardly attack by Pakistani forces.”
According to the ACB, the slain players — Kabir, Sibghatullah, and Haroon — were returning home after playing a friendly cricket match in Sharana, the provincial capital, when they came under attack. In total, eight people were killed and seven others injured in the incident.
The statement further added:
“In protest of this heartbreaking incident and to honor the victims, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to withdraw from the upcoming tri-nation T20 series in Pakistan scheduled for late November.”
This would have been the second tri-nation tournament involving Afghanistan and Pakistan this year, but the first to be held on Pakistani soil.
According to the series schedule, Pakistan and Afghanistan were set to play two matches — the opening match on November 17 and another on November 23.
Notably, relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been increasingly strained, and the tri-nation series had been planned amid growing diplomatic tensions. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet commented on Afghanistan’s withdrawal.