The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) pulled out of the upcoming T20I triangular series involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka amid the ongoing military conflict with Pakistan.
This move comes after Pakistan carried out fresh airstrikes in Afghanistan, which broke the ceasefire. Pakistani’s airstrikes in the Urgun district of Paktika province resulted in the death of three cricketers and several civilians.
Hours after the ACB announced its withdrawal, a senior PCB official said they are in talks with a few other boards to replace Afghanistan in the tri-series, scheduled to be held in Lahore from November 17 to 29.
“The Tri-Series will progress as scheduled even after Afghanistan's withdrawal. We are looking at a replacement team and once finalised, the announcement will be made. The Tri-Series features a third team in Sri Lanka so it is on from 17th November,” the official quoted as saying by PTI.
In its official statement, the Afghanistan board said: “The Afghanistan Cricket Board expresses its deepest sorrow and grief over the tragic martyrdom of the brave cricketers from Urgun District in Paktika Province, who were targeted this evening in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime.”
“In response to this tragic incident and as a gesture of respect to the victims, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan, scheduled to be played in late November,” the statement added.
Afghanistan’s T20I skipper Rashid Khan also expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of three young cricketers and several civilians in Pakistani airstrikes, calling it a grave violation of human rights and welcomed ACB’s decision to pull out of the upcoming fixtures against Pakistan.
According to a reliable source, the international cricket department of the PCB was currently even looking at associate member teams including Nepal and UAE as replacements for Afghanistan, but their priority is to get a Test playing nation to participate in the tri-series.
Pakistan's relation with Afghanistan has deteriorated over the years despite the nations facing each other on the cricket field regularly.
Pakistani and Afghani spectators have often been seated in different enclosures to avoid clashes inside stadiums.
(With PTI Inputs)
