NEW DELHI: Sayed Naseem Sadaat, spokesperson for the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), has strongly condemned a Pakistan airstrike in Paktika province that killed three Afghan cricketers, urging cricket boards worldwide to publicly denounce the attack.

He stressed that cricket is a sport that fosters peace and should remain free from the impacts of war, calling for the protection of players and the game from conflict.

The ACB confirmed that the deceased players - Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon - were among eight people killed in the strike in Urgun district, while seven others sustained injuries.

"We call upon all the cricket boards to condemn such barbaric attacks because cricket is a game that carries the message of peace. Cricketers are peace ambassadors and they should stay away from the war. War should not be interfered in sports. So we call upon all the cricket fraternity and boards to condemn such attacks and keep cricket away from war," Sadaat said in an exclusive interview with ANI.

Sadaat stated that the board possesses clear evidence, including a video report, implicating the Pakistani state in the airstrike that killed three Afghan cricketers in Paktika province.

The attack has drawn widespread condemnation from the cricketing community, including prominent Afghan players like Rashid Khan. In protest, the ACB has withdrawn from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

"We got evidence all the cricket fraternity and all the people around the world would have definitely watched our video report on the incident that was made by our media team. So, we got clear evidence that the attack was done by a Pakistani state," he said.

"After the incident, the management of Afghanistan Cricket Board decided to cancel Afghanistan's participation in the tri-series that was going to be hosted by Pakistan," he added.
Sadaat also stated that ACB management's decision to withdraw from the Tri-Nation T201 series was welcomed by the national team players, including senior players.

"The decision taken by ACB management was welcomed by all of our national team players including the senior players who are playing for national team. They all were fine with the decision. They welcomed the decision. They showed their grief and sorrow and shared their condolences with the families of the martyred cricketers and other innocent people in the area," he concluded.

The three players had earlier travelled to Sharana, the capital of Paktika province, to participate in a friendly cricket match. After returning home to Urgun, they were targeted during a gathering. In its statement, the Afghanistan board described the attack as "a cowardly act carried out by the Pakistani regime."