Afghanistan pulls out of Pakistan tri-nation T20 after attack

The Afghanistan Cricket Board said Saturday it has withdrawn the national team from a Tri-Nation Twenty20 series in Pakistan after three domestic cricketers and several civilians were killed in an attack in Paktika province on Friday. The ACB said the players were killed in Urgun district after returning from a friendly match in Sharana and named them as Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon. The series was due to be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from November 17 to 29 and also features Sri Lanka.

The ACB said the players had travelled to Sharana, the provincial capital, to take part in a friendly match and were "targeted during a gathering" after returning home. The board said eight people in total were killed, including the three players and five other residents of Urgun, and seven people were injured. The ACB described the incident as the result of Pakistani airstrikes and said it was withdrawing from the Pakistan fixtures "as a gesture of respect to the victims," extending condolences to the bereaved families and the people of Paktika.

Afghan international players reacted strongly. Captain Rashid Khan said he was "deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives" and called attacks...