The Afghanistan cricket team took a moment to remember the victims of a recent airstrike in Paktika before their upcoming Test match against Zimbabwe. During a practice session on Saturday at Harare Sports Club, players came together to express their condolences to the families affected by the tragedy and to all those in Afghanistan who are mourning.
This tribute followed a tragic event where airstrikes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border resulted in the loss of several civilian lives, including three young cricketers, and left many others injured. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) reported that the players had traveled from Urgun to Sharana in the Paktika province for a friendly match and were targeted upon returning home.
In a statement shared on social media, the ACB condemned the airstrike, labeling it a “cowardly act” from the Pakistani authorities. The violence, which has affected both nations, had seen a brief pause due to a 48-hour ceasefire before the situation escalated again.
The Taliban criticized the airstrikes as a violation of the truce, even as officials from Afghanistan and Pakistan were engaged in talks in Doha to address the situation. Tragically, among those who lost their lives were young cricketers Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, alongside five other civilians.
Afghanistan’s captain Rashid Khan, who will not play in the upcoming Test, expressed his sorrow through a statement, showing his support for the victims’ families. Following this heart-wrenching event, the Afghanistan Cricket Board decided to withdraw from a tri-nation T20 series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which was supposed to take place in Lahore and Rawalpindi from November 5 to 29.
The Test match against Zimbabwe is set to commence on Monday, October 20, and will be followed by a three-match T20I series at the same venue from October 29 to November 2.
