Afghanistan withdraws from Twenty20 cricket tri-series in Pakistan over military strikes

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Afghanistan Cricket Board has withdrawn its national team from next month’s Twenty20 tri-series in Pakistan after it claimed three local cricketers died due to Pakistan military strikes in southeastern Paktika province on Friday.

The ACB said in a post on social media Saturday that the 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.

Afghanistan cricket board spokesman Said Nasim Sadat identified the three players as Kabeer Agha Argon, Sibghatullah Zirok, and Haroon, who, like many Afghans, only goes by one name.

“The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family,” the ACB said.

“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.”

Afghan captain Rashid Khan and the Afghanistan Sports Journalists Federation welcomed the decision. The federation condemned the strike as a “barbaric and shameful act, which stands in clear violation of all international laws.”

The tri-series, also featuring Sri Lanka, was due to be played in between Nov. 17-29 in Rawalpindi and Lahore as part of teams’ preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

It would have been second tri-series featuring Pakistan and Afghanistan in four months after both teams competed in a three-nation tournament in United Arab Emirates in September. Pakistan beat Afghanistan in the final of that tournament.

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Associated Press writer Abdul Qahar Afghan contributed to this report from Jalalabad, Afghanistan

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket