Afghanistan quits Pakistan tri-series after deadly airstrike

Afghanistan has withdrawn from next month’s Twenty20 tri-series in Pakistan after the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said three local players were killed in a cross-border airstrike in Paktika province.

The ACB identified the dead as Kabeer Agha Argon, Sibghatullah Zirok, and Haroon, saying they were targeted during a gathering in Urgun district shortly after returning home from a friendly match in Sharana; provincial officials reported 10 fatalities in the strike.

The series scheduled in Rawalpindi and Lahore from November 17–29 and originally featuring Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan will proceed without Afghanistan, with Zimbabwe invited to take their place, according to Pakistan’s board.

The International Cricket Council expressed solidarity with the ACB and “echoed their grief,” while leading Afghan players publicly condemned the attack as a blow to their community.

The withdrawal comes amid an extremely fragile ceasefire and Doha-based talks between Kabul and Islamabad following the deadliest bout of cross-border fighting in years; Pakistan has described its recent strikes as operations against militant camps,

while Afghan authorities have accused Islamabad of killing civilians. ACB officials framed the move as both a period of mourning and a protest step, saying resuming cricket under such conditions was impossible, and Afghan stars signalled the team’s focus would remain on the safety and dignity of players until the situation stabilises.

Sources: Reuters; Associated Press (AP); Sky News; Indian Express; India Today; BBC News