Three Afghan Cricketers Killed in Pakistan Airstrikes; ACB Takes Action

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has pulled out of the upcoming tri-nation T20 series. This series was set to include Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The move protests recent deadly Pakistan Airstrikes.

Tragedy Strikes Afghan Cricket Community

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) decided to withdraw from the forthcoming Tri-Nation T20 series. This series involves Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The decision came right after an attack by Pakistan. Recent Pakistani airstrikes hit Afghanistan’s Paktika province. Eight people died, including three national-level players.

The ACB statement confirmed the deaths of three players: Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon. They also reported seven people were injured. However, Afghan media reports suggest eight domestic and club-level Afghan players were killed. The eight players reportedly traveled to the Urgun area. They were celebrating a match victory in the Sharana region. The Pakistani army launched the airstrikes on this residential area. The entire building turned into rubble. Photos from Afghanistan show locals pulling bodies from the debris. The victims tragically included a child’s body.

Escalation of Pakistani Military Activity

Pakistani military actions have continued for 10 days. The army has targeted several Afghan residential areas. They claim these attacks hit TTP hideouts. UN figures state Pakistani attacks killed 37 civilians. This happened across Paktika, Kunar, Khost, Kandahar, and Helmand. The strikes also injured 425 people. Afghanistan’s Taliban government provided its own figures. They report five people died in a Kabul Pakistani attack. Yesterday’s attacks in three Paktika locations killed 10 people. In just 10 days, the Pakistani military has killed 52 innocent Afghans. Over 425 people have been wounded.

Pakistan Army’s Claims Questioned

The Pakistani army consistently claims its attacks target the TTP. They say the strikes aim at TTP leader Noor Wali Mehsud. However, a picture surfaced on Thursday (October 16, 2025). It clearly showed the TTP chief was not in Afghanistan. He was based in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tirah Valley.