Cricket has become a medium of protest and mourning in Afghanistan after Pakistani airstrikes in Paktika province killed three young Afghan cricketers and five civilians. In a strong diplomatic and symbolic move, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has withdrawn from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The ACB termed the strike a “cowardly act” and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the players — Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon — who had been participating in a local match near Urgun district. “Their lives and dreams were cut short by unjust violence. This is a great loss for Afghanistan’s sporting and cricketing family,” the board said.
Afghanistan’s star cricketers, including Rashid Khan and Fazalhaq Farooqi, condemned the attack, calling it a “heinous crime” and demanding international attention. Rashid wrote, “Cricket is meant to unite, but how can we play when our people are being buried under rubble?”
The phrase “No Humanity, No Cricket” has since gone viral on Afghan social media, representing a collective outcry against Pakistan’s actions. Experts say the boycott has transformed cricket from a symbol of regional engagement into a tool of moral and political protest, further isolating Pakistan in the sporting and diplomatic arena.
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According to Afghan officials, Pakistan’s airstrikes on October 14 broke a temporary ceasefire along the border, killing at least ten people. The Taliban government has warned that Afghanistan “will retaliate” if such attacks continue.
