- Home
- NG Hindi
- India
- World
- Politics
- Sex & Relationships
- Entertainment
- Culture
- Lifestyle
- Economy
- Sports
- Sp. Coverage
- Misc.
- NewsGram Exclusive
- Jobs / Internships
Key Points:
Afghanistan withdraws from tri-series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka after three Afghan cricketers were killed in alleged Pakistani airstrikes.
Cross-border tensions escalate, with both nations reporting heavy casualties despite a ceasefire.
Sports hit by conflict, as the ACB’s decision reflects growing strain on Afghanistan–Pakistan relations amid ongoing violence.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced on Saturday, October 18, its withdrawal from a scheduled T20 tri-series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka following the deaths of three local cricketers from Urgun District in Paktika Province, Afghanistan on October 17, 2025.
The cricketers, identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, were among eight people killed in an alleged Pakistani airstrike, according to the ACB. Seven others were injured in the incident.
See Also: UN Official Calls for restraint amid armed clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan
The players had travelled to Sharana, the capital of Paktika Province, to participate in a friendly cricket match before returning to Urgun, where they were targeted during a gathering. Taliban officials reported that at least 10 people were killed in fresh strikes across three locations in Paktika Province, accusing Pakistan of violating a 48-hour ceasefire agreed upon on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had announced the tri-series last month, scheduled to take place from November 17 to November 29, 2025, in Rawalpindi and Lahore. The ACB stated that its decision to withdraw was made as a gesture of respect for the victims and in response to the loss to Afghanistan’s sports community.
The airstrikes follow a week of escalated tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, marked by cross-border clashes. Both sides reported casualties, with Afghanistan claiming its strikes killed 58 Pakistani soldiers, while Pakistan reported 23 deaths and claimed to have killed over 200 Taliban and affiliated troops in retaliatory actions.
A ceasefire was brokered with mediation from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, but Afghan officials, including a police spokesman in Paktika Province, alleged that Pakistan conducted fresh airstrikes in Barmal and Urgun districts.
In Spin Boldak, Kandahar Province, separate Pakistani airstrikes on October 17 reportedly killed 40 people, including women and children, and injured 170 others, according to local Afghan officials.
Survivors claimed the strikes targeted civilian homes and markets, violating international humanitarian law. The ACB expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Paktika Province.
Negotiations to address the conflict are ongoing, with a Pakistani delegation in Doha and an Afghan delegation expected to arrive on October 18. The ceasefire was extended until the conclusion of these talks, though Afghan officials reported continued violations by Pakistan.
The ACB’s withdrawal marks the second tri-series involving Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2025, following one held in the UAE before the 2025 Asia Cup. The cancellation underscores the impact of the ongoing conflict on sporting relations between the two nations. [Rh/Eth/VS]
Suggested Reading:
