Three Afghan Cricketers Killed Rashid Khan Mourns Teammates Killed Near Pakistan Border
Srinagar , Oct 18:(JKNN) Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Friday confirmed that three Afghan cricketers were killed in a deadly assault in the eastern province of Paktika, near the Pakistan border.
The victims were identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, all of whom had recently participated in a friendly cricket match in Sharana.
According to the ACB, the players were attacked upon returning to their hometown, Urgun, in what the board described as “a cowardly strike orchestrated by the Pakistani regime.” Five others were also reported dead in the same attack.
Calling it a “great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community,” the ACB extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and announced Afghanistan’s withdrawal from the upcoming tri-nation series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka, scheduled for next month. The decision, the board said, was taken “as a mark of respect for the victims.”
Afghanistan’s national captain Rashid Khan expressed deep sorrow in an emotional social media post, saying:
“I am heartbroken by the killing of innocent civilians and our young cricketers in recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan soil. These were children and dreamers who aspired to wear our national colors one day.”
Rashid further condemned the assault, calling it “immoral and barbaric,” and stated that “such actions are a blatant violation of human rights.”
“Our national pride must stand above everything else. I fully support the ACB’s decision to pull out of the series,” he added.
Fellow international stars also voiced their outrage. Fazalhaq Farooqi described the killings as “a heinous and unforgivable crime,” while Mohammad Nabi remarked,
“This tragedy is not just Paktika’s pain—it is a national wound felt by every Afghan and every cricket lover.”
(JKNEWS NATION)
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