The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced its withdrawal from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series involving Pakistan, claiming three cricketers were killed in the attacks launched by Pakistan's military in Paktika province and two other border regions.
Pakistan were set to host Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in a T20I series starting November 17.
However, the airstrikes, which were launched just hours after a two-day ceasefire with Afghanistan ended, killed three local cricketers who had returned after a friendly match in Sharana.
"In this heartbreaking incident, three players (Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon), alongside 5 other fellow countrymen from Urgun District, were martyred, and seven others were injured,” ACB said in its statement.
“The players had earlier travelled to Sharana, the capital of Paktika province, to participate in a friendly cricket match. After returning home to Urgun, they were targeted during a gathering.”
Statement of Condolence
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) October 17, 2025
The Afghanistan Cricket Board expresses its deepest sorrow and grief over the tragic martyrdom of the brave cricketers from Urgun District in Paktika Province, who were targeted this evening in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime.
In… pic.twitter.com/YkenImtuVR
One strike reportedly damaged a house in Khanadar village, killing and injuring the residents, PTI quoted a police spokesperson, Mohammadullah Amini Mawia, as saying.
Pakistan is yet to comment on Afghanistan's claims.
The ceasefire, which started on Wednesday, pausing the conflict that killed dozens and injured hundreds, ended on Friday evening without any official extension. Diplomatic efforts are on to end the conflict, with Qatar hosting peace talks. Taliban government's chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said in Kabul that a Taliban delegation was preparing to leave for Qatar. Pakistan's state-run media, too, reported that a high-level Pakistani delegation will travel to Qatar for talks with Afghanistan on Saturday.
The strikes in Afghanistan occurred hours after a Pakistani Taliban-backed suicide car bomb attack on a compound of security forces in Mir Ali, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The attack, which left several dead, also triggered a shootout that left at least six militants and one soldier dead, police said. A faction of the Pakistani Taliban headed by Hafiz Gul Bahadur has, reportedly, claimed responsibility for the suicide attack.
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Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Islamabad wants Kabul to prevent anyone from using Afghan soil for attacks inside Pakistan and that its recent strikes were only aimed at targeting militant hideouts.
Since January, Pakistan has experienced a rise in militant attacks, mostly attributed to the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan), leading to tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. This week, Pakistan's military carried out several operations against the militants, reportedly killing 102. These recent clashes are the most severe since 2021, when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan after US and NATO forces left.
Border tensions have been high since last week. Kabul accused Pakistan of an attack in the Afghan capital, a claim Pakistan's government and military have not confirmed. However, Pakistani security officials said that the strike was aimed to target Noor Wali, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban. The Pakistani Taliban later released a video claiming he was alive and hiding in northwestern Pakistan.
The increasing tension is also expected to affect Afghan refugees living in Pakistan without legal status. On Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was informed that Pakistan has repatriated 1.4 million Afghans since a phased plan began in 2023. Sharif said that only Afghans holding valid Pakistani visas would be permitted to remain in the country.
