Fazal Aziz Bunairee
KABUL: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced the cancellation of its upcoming T20 series against Pakistan, alleging that Afghan cricketers were killed in a recent Pakistani airstrike in Paktika province.
According to the ACB, the strike hit the Argun district of Paktika, killing eight people, including three domestic players identified as Kabir, Sabghatullah, and Haroon. Expressing deep sorrow, the board stated that the decision to withdraw from the Pakistan series, scheduled for late November, was made to honor the victims.
The Taliban-led Afghan government has repeatedly accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes on Afghan soil in recent days. Pakistani security sources, however, claimed that their forces targeted militant hideouts of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group along the border areas of South and North Waziristan, killing more than 70 militants.
Neither the Pakistani government nor the Taliban administration in Kabul has officially commented on the cross-border strikes.
Meanwhile, reports say that U.S. President Donald Trump remarked he could easily help resolve the ongoing Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions if asked.
Heavy clashes between Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters on October 15–16 left casualties on both sides. The Pakistan military confirmed the deaths of 23 soldiers, claiming to have killed over 200 Taliban militants in return.
A 48-hour ceasefire was later declared on Wednesday, but Afghan Taliban officials accused Pakistan of violating it through fresh airstrikes. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attacks were directly linked to Pakistan.
Diplomatic sources said efforts are underway in Doha to defuse tensions between the two neighbors, but no formal talks have yet begun.
