Afghanistan has withdrawn from the upcoming T20 tri-nation series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka after three Afghan cricketers were killed in a Pakistani airstrike in Paktika province. The series, scheduled for November in Rawalpindi and Lahore, has been canceled amid rising border tensions and ongoing military clashes between the two countries. The Pakistan Cricket Board has yet to comment.
Afghanistan has pulled out of the upcoming tri-nation series with Pakistan following the deaths of several of its local cricketers in a Pakistani airstrike. The T20 tournament, originally set to feature Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka next month, was scheduled to take place in Rawalpindi and Lahore from November 17 to 29. On Friday (October 17), the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced its withdrawal from the series through a post on social media platform X.
The ACB reported that Pakistan launched an airstrike in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, killing three local cricketers. The victims were returning home to Sharana, the provincial capital, after playing a friendly match when the attack occurred.
Describing the deaths as a major loss to the country’s sporting community, the Afghan board said, “To honor those who lost their lives, we have chosen to withdraw from the upcoming tri-nation T20 series.”
This series would have marked Afghanistan’s first-ever appearance against Pakistan on Pakistani soil. However, due to ongoing military clashes between the two sides, the matches will no longer take place.
Afghanistan had previously visited Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup and earlier this year for the Champions Trophy, though they did not play any matches against Pakistan on those occasions.
In recent weeks, tensions between the two countries have risen significantly. Border conflicts and Pakistani airstrikes across Afghanistan have reportedly killed hundreds of people.
The tri-nation series had been arranged amid these escalating tensions, but the Pakistan Cricket Board has not yet issued any statement regarding the development.