In a tragic accident that has jolted the cricket world, three young Afghan cricketers were killed in an airstrike in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. The incident happened when the players—Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon—were heading back from an exhibition match in Sharana and were present at a small party in Urgun district when the airstrike hit the location.
Young Afghan Cricketers Killed: The three players were reportedly promising talents actively engaged in domestic cricket and were due to represent their provinces at the national level, ACB has claimed. Kabeer Agha was a known aggressive top-order batter who was soon to be picked for the U-23 provincial camp. Sibghatullah was a regular member of the Urgun Warriors in regional tournaments and was a right-arm medium pacer. Haroon, a talented all-rounder and student at a college, had impressed in various local T20 and tape-ball tournaments.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board was deeply saddened by the horrific loss of its young cricketers. “These players were the hope and the future of Afghan cricket,” the ACB stated in a release, declaring that Afghanistan was pulling out of the next T20 tri-series in Pakistan as a token of protest and mourning.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) also issued messages of condolence, terming the incident as “a heartbreaking loss to world cricket.” ICC demanded peace and protection of sportspeople, while BCCI showed solidarity with ACB by stating that “cricket must unite, not divide.” The aerial bombardment, which was allegedly carried out by Pakistan, has further tested the already volatile relationship between the two countries. The strike followed news of a brief ceasefire days earlier, sparking questions about cross-border coordination and civilian protection.
For Afghanistan, a country where cricket has been a symbol of hope and unity for so many years, this tragedy has brought gloom into their sporting world. Fans and teammates alike filled up social media with posts praising the three cricketers as “heroes of the game” and “victims of senseless violence.”
As the investigations go on, the ACB has promised to keep their memories alive by launching a national youth cricket program in their honor—a gesture to make the aspirations of Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon live on in the hearts of the next generation of Afghan cricketers.
