Kabul, Oct 18 (NationPress) At least three Afghan cricketers tragically lost their lives due to a Pakistani airstrike in Afghanistan's Paktika province, as confirmed by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).

The players were en route from Urgun to Sharana, close to the Pakistan border, for a friendly cricket match.

The ACB identified the fallen athletes as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, noting that five additional civilians also perished in the attack.

In a statement, the ACB lamented, "In this devastating incident, three players (Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon), along with five other compatriots from Urgun District, were martyred, and seven others sustained injuries. The players had previously traveled to Sharana, the capital of Paktika province, for a friendly cricket match. They were targeted upon their return home to Urgun during a gathering."

Labeling the strike a significant loss for the nation's sports sector, the ACB expressed its "deep sorrow and solidarity" with the grieving families and the people of Paktika.

The ACB stated, "This is a profound loss for Afghanistan's sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing fraternity. We extend our heartfelt condolences and support to the families of the martyrs and to the residents of Paktika Province."

In light of this tragedy, the ACB declared its withdrawal from the forthcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series with Pakistan, scheduled for late November, as a tribute to the victims.

"In response to this heartbreaking event and as a sign of respect for the victims, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has resolved to withdraw from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan," it stated.

Captain of Afghanistan's T20 team, Rashid Khan, vehemently denounced the airstrikes and supported the ACB's decision.

"I am profoundly saddened by the civilian casualties resulting from the recent Pakistani aerial assaults on Afghanistan—a tragedy that claimed the lives of women, children, and young cricket enthusiasts who aspired to represent their nation globally," he shared on X.

Describing the attacks as "immoral and barbaric", Khan highlighted that such "unjust and unlawful actions constitute a significant violation of human rights and must not go unrecognized."

"In memory of the innocent lives lost, I endorse the ACB's decision to withdraw from the upcoming matches against Pakistan. Our national dignity must take precedence over everything else," he added.

Following multiple airstrikes by Pakistan in Afghanistan's Paktika province on Friday, Kabul accused Islamabad of breaching the fragile ceasefire agreement established between the two nations.