Why has Afghanistan decided to withdraw from the upcoming tri-nation T20I series involving Pakistan?

Mayank Bande

Why has Afghanistan decided to withdraw from the upcoming tri-nation T20I series involving Pakistan? image

(getty)

Afghanistan has pulled out of the T20I tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka in November in response to a terror attack from Pakistan.

The series was scheduled to start on November 17 in Rawalpindi, with a clash between Pakistan and Afghanistan, followed by another five matches before a final.

Following the Asia Cup, this series was supposed to be another preparatory event in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup 2026.

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Why did Afghanistan withdraw from the tri-series involving Pakistan?

In the early hours of October 18, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) released an official statement on Twitter (X) to convey their decision not to visit Pakistan and play the tri-series.

This was in response to a terror attack in Urgun District in Paktika Province, where civilians were allegedly attacked by a Pakistani air strike.

In the tragic incident, three cricketers, Kabeer Agha, Haroon and Sibghatullah lost their lives alongside five other civilians, leaving several others injured.

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Later in the night, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan also came out and supported the board's decision not to play the series and penned out a befitting statement.

Following a 3-0 series win over Bangladesh, Afghanistan will now face Zimbabwe in a one-off  Test from October 20 in Harare.

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Mayank Bande

Mayank Bande has been a content producer at The Sporting News since 2023 and has extensive experience in cricket writing. His work has previously appeared on platforms like OneCricket and Last Word on Sports. Beyond cricket, Mayank closely follows football as an FC Barcelona supporter, along with tennis and Olympic sports. Despite holding a degree in Business Administration, he chose to pursue a career in sports, bringing sharp analysis to his writing as someone who once played cricket.