In a heartbreaking incident, three Afghan cricketers were killed in a deadly Paktika attack near the Pakistan border, shocking the nation’s cricket community. The ACB confirmed that the Afghan cricketers killed were among the most promising local talents from Urgun. Local officials reported Friday that the tragic event happened while the players were on their way back to Urgun, their hometown, following the game in Sharana.

The attack was criticized by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), who called it a “cowardly and heartbreaking act.” The victims were identified by the board as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon. They were all future local celebrities who took part in domestic events. According to reports, the terrorists attacked a group in Urgun, killing several civilians along with to the players.

The ACB declared Afghanistan’s withdrawal from the upcoming tri-nation series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which is set for next month, as a gesture of respect and unity. “Our cricketing family has been devastated by the loss of these young athletes,” the ACB said in a statement.

Rashid Khan, the captain of Afghanistan, lamented the incident on social media, describing it as a “barbaric act against innocent civilians.” He highlighted that all players demands must give way to human life and national pride. He stated, “We stand together in grief; the pain of our people is our pain.”

Mohammad Nabi and Fazalhaq Farooqi, two more Afghan cricket players, expressed their grief and called for peace and justice. The nation’s sports community is in sorrow following the tragic loss, reflecting the unstable conflict of sorrow and faith in Afghanistan’s war-torn country.