Rashid Khan Condemns Pakistan Airstrike as “Immoral and Barbaric” After Death of Afghan Cricketers

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has strongly condemned Pakistan's recent airstrike in Paktika province, which claimed the lives of three Afghan cricketers, calling the attack "absolutely immoral and barbaric." His remarks came shortly after the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced its decision to withdraw from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka in protest.

The deadly strike, which hit the Urgun district near the Pakistan border, killed players Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, along with five other civilians. According to the ACB, the players had travelled from Urgun to Sharana to play a friendly match and were attacked on their return during a local gathering.

In a statement, the board described the incident as "a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime" and said it was "a great loss for Afghanistan's sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family."

Reacting to the tragedy, Rashid took to social media to express his anguish and outrage over the killings. "I am deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani aerial strikes on Afghanistan. A tragedy that claimed the lives of women, children, and aspiring young cricketers who dreamed of representing their nation on the world stage.

It is absolutely immoral and barbaric to target civilian infrastructure. These unjust and unlawful actions represent a grave violation of human rights and must not go unnoticed," Rashid wrote.

He also backed the ACB's decision to pull out of next month's series, stating, "In light of the precious innocent souls lost, I welcome the ACB's decision of withdrawing from upcoming fixtures against Pakistan. I stand with our people at this difficult time - our national dignity must come before all else."

The attack has triggered widespread outrage across Afghanistan's cricket fraternity. Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi condemned the strike as "a heinous, unforgivable crime," while veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi said it was "not only a tragedy for Paktika but for the entire Afghan cricket family and the nation as a whole."

The devastating incident has left Afghanistan's cricketing community in deep mourning, with players and fans uniting in grief and solidarity for the victims and their families.