ISLAMABAD: Zimbabwe Cricket has officially accepted an invitation from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to join a T20I tri-nation series also featuring Sri Lanka, following Afghanistan’s withdrawal due to recent deadly airstrikes.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) pulled out of the series after confirming that three of its players — Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon — were among those killed in a reported Pakistani airstrike in the Urgun district of Afghanistan’s Paktika province. The cricketers had returned from a friendly match in Sharana when the strike occurred, killing eight and injuring seven.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) expressed deep sorrow over the incident, stating it was “appalled” by the loss of young cricketing talent. “The ICC strongly condemns this act of violence... and stands in solidarity with the ACB,” the statement read.
Pakistan launched the strikes on Friday, targeting hideouts of the outlawed Hafiz Gul Bahadur group in retaliation for a recent gun-and-bomb attack on a military installation in North Waziristan. The attacks occurred despite a temporary ceasefire agreement with Kabul, which had been extended just hours earlier.
The tri-series, set to be held in Pakistan from November 17 to 29, was initially planned as a warm-up event for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. PCB confirmed the tournament will proceed with Zimbabwe stepping in for Afghanistan.
ACB’s decision was widely supported, including by Afghan cricket star Rashid Khan, who called the deaths “a devastating loss to Afghan cricket.”
Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, defended the strikes, stating they were “precision operations” and dismissed claims of civilian targeting as “false propaganda.”
