The Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed that the players, identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, were among eight people killed in the airstrike in the Urgun district.
The Afghanistan cricket team on Saturday paid tribute to the victims of the tragic airstrike in the Paktika province ahead of their one-off Test against Zimbabwe.
During the practice session before the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, scheduled to begin on Monday in Harare, the Afghanistan team expressed their deepest condolences and solidarity with the families and all the people who have been affected by the tragic airstrike "carried out by the Pakistani regime', which claimed the lives of several local citizens, including three cricketers.
"Afghan Atalan, during their practice session ahead of the one-off Test match against Zimbabwe, gathered together to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic attack in Paktika province and expressed their deepest condolences and solidarity with the bereaved families and all Afghans affected by this heartbreaking incident. Last night, several local citizens, including three cricketers, were martyred, and many others were injured in a tragic airstrike carried out by the Pakistani regime," Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) wrote on X.
The ACB had earlier confirmed that the players, identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, were among eight people killed in the airstrike in the Urgun district. In response to the terror attack, Afghanistan announced their withdrawal from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series involving Pakistan, scheduled to commence on November 5.
The Afghanistan board revealed that the players had earlier travelled to Sharana, the capital of Paktika province, to participate in a friendly cricket match. After returning home to Urgun, they were targeted during a gathering. In its statement, the board described the attack as "a cowardly act carried out by the Pakistani regime."
Afghanistan's premier spinner Rashid Khan, called the attack "barbaric" and wrote on X: "I am deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani aerial strikes on Afghanistan. A tragedy that claimed the lives of women, children, and aspiring young cricketers who dreamed of representing their nation on the world stage."
"It is absolutely immoral and barbaric to target civilian infrastructure. These unjust and unlawful actions represent a grave violation of human rights and must not go unnoticed. In light of the precious innocent souls lost, I welcome the ACB's decision of withdrawing from upcoming fixtures against Pakistan. I stand with our people at this difficult time, our national dignity must come before all else," he added.
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