A Pakistani airstrike that killed 40 civilians, including three Afghan cricketers, has forced Afghanistan to withdraw from the upcoming T20 tri-nation tournament, leaving Sri Lanka and Pakistan sidelined in a shocking twist that blurs the line between war and sport.
A devastating Pakistani airstrike on Friday night in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar has left Afghanistan reeling. According to Afghan officials, the attack struck residential neighborhoods, killing at least 40 people and injuring 170, most of them women and children. Among the dead were three Afghan cricketers, a tragedy that has shaken both the sporting community and the nation at large.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed that the three cricketers were from Urgun district in Paktika province. In its statement, the ACB described the loss as a blow not only to Afghan cricket but to the entire global sports family. “This is a great loss for the sports community, athletes, and cricket family in Afghanistan,” the board said.
As a mark of respect and in mourning, the ACB has withdrawn from the scheduled tri-nation T20 International tournament that was to feature Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka at the end of November. The withdrawal effectively collapses the tournament, leaving both Sri Lanka and Pakistan without a stage to compete on. Cricket, which has often been a unifying force in South Asia, has now become another casualty of geopolitical violence.
Local Afghan officials condemned the attack, emphasizing that civilians were deliberately targeted. Speaking to Tolo News, the head of public health in Spin Boldak noted the scale of destruction. “The civilian casualties are extremely high. Yesterday’s airstrikes further increased the numbers. Now we have 170 injured and 40 dead,” he said.
The incident underscores the increasing overlap between war and sport in regions like Afghanistan, where athletes not only represent hope but also bear the brunt of violent conflict. For Afghanistan, this strike has stripped away not just lives but also the chance to showcase its cricketing talent on the international stage. For Pakistan, it has fueled accusations of recklessness that extend beyond the battlefield. And for Sri Lanka, it means missing out on much-needed international match play.
This airstrike is more than a political and military scandal; it has cast a long shadow over cricket’s role as a bridge of unity in South Asia. Instead of building connections, the game is now caught in the crossfire of hostility.
