Afghanistan withdraws from Twenty20 cricket tri-series in Pakistan over military strikes

ISLAMABAD AP The Afghanistan Cricket Board has withdrawn its national band from next month s Twenty tri-series in Pakistan after it claimed three local cricketers died due to Pakistan military strikes in southeastern Paktika province on Friday The ACB revealed in a post on social media Saturday that the cricketers were targeted during a gathering in Urgun district when they returned home after playing a friendly cricket match in Sharana the capital of Paktika province Afghanistan cricket board spokesman Declared Nasim Sadat identified the three players as Kabeer Agha Argon Sibghatullah Zirok and Haroon who like a multitude of Afghans only goes by one name The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan s sports district its athletes and the cricketing family the ACB reported In response of this tragic development and as a gesture of respect to the casualties the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T I Series Afghan captain Rashid Khan and the Afghanistan Sports Journalists Federation welcomed the decision The federation condemned the strike as a barbaric and shameful act which stands in clear violation of all international laws The tri-series also featuring Sri Lanka was due to be played in between Nov - in Rawalpindi and Lahore as part of teams preparations for next year s T World Cup in India and Sri Lanka It would have been second tri-series featuring Pakistan and Afghanistan in four months after both teams competed in a three-nation tournament in United Arab Emirates in September Pakistan beat Afghanistan in the final of that tournament Associated Press writer Abdul Qahar Afghan contributed to this document from Jalalabad Afghanistan AP cricket https apnews com hub cricket Source