Key Takeaways
- Afghanistan withdraws from tri-series after three cricketers killed in attack
- Attack occurred in Paktika province near Pakistan border
- ACB describes incident as “cowardly attack carried out by Pakistani regime”
Afghanistan’s cricket board has withdrawn from next month’s tri-nation series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka following a deadly attack that killed three local cricketers. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced the decision on Friday, October 17, 2025.
Attack Details
The three players – identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon – had traveled from Urgun to Sharana in eastern Paktika province to participate in a friendly match. After returning home to Urgun, they were targeted during a gathering in what the ACB described as “a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime.”
Five other people were also killed in the attack, though the ACB did not provide additional details about the incident.
Cricket Community Reaction
The ACB stated it “considers this a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family” and extended “deepest condolences and solidarity to the bereaved families.”
Afghan international cricketer Fazalhaq Farooqi wrote on Facebook: “The massacre of innocent civilians and our domestic cricket players by these oppressors is a heinous, unforgivable crime.”
Another international player, Mohammad Nabi, added: “This incident is not only a tragedy for Paktika but for the entire Afghan cricket family and the nation as a whole.”
The board said it decided to withdraw from the tri-series “as a gesture of respect to the victims.”
