The three players, identified as Kabir, Sibghatullah and Haroon, had moved from Orgaon to Sharana to participate in a friendly match when they were attacked.

The Afghan Cricket Board reported that the attack also killed five other people, noting that the incident occurred when the players were in a gathering after returning to their homes in Orgun. The Council described the attack as a “cowardly act carried out by the Pakistani regime.”

In response to the incident, Afghanistan announced its withdrawal from the trilateral tournament scheduled with Pakistan and Sri Lanka next month, “as a symbol of respect for the victims.”

In a statement on the X platform, the Afghanistan Cricket Board expressed “deep sadness and sorrow over the martyrdom of these brave cricketers.”

For his part, former captain of the national team, Rashid Khan, condemned the Pakistani air attacks, describing them as “immoral and barbaric,” and expressed his welcome of the decision to withdraw from the upcoming matches against Pakistan.

He was joined by fellow player Mohammad Nabi who described the incident as “a tragedy for the entire Afghan cricket family and the nation in general.”

This attack comes in the wake of a series of Pakistani air strikes that targeted residential areas in the Urgaon and Barmal districts, resulting in a number of civilian casualties.

Diplomatic efforts continue between the two countries, as Kabul agreed to extend the ceasefire until the end of the ongoing talks in Doha, which are scheduled to begin today, Saturday.

Source: NDTV