In the aftermath of Pakistani strikes, Afghan cricket board hopes other cricket boards will condemn the attack

In the aftermath of Pakistani military strikes,Afghanistan Cricket Board has hoped that other cricket boards will condemn the strikes that killed young Afghan cricketers. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, SpokespersonSayed Naseem Sadaat said, “our management will be definitely in coordination with the other boards.”

Read More | Afghanistan withdraws from tri-series involving Pakistan as deadly air strikes kill three cricketers

Yesterday, Pakistani airstrikes targeted residential areas in Afghanistan's Paktika province, killing at least three aspiring Afghan cricketers—Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon—along with five other civilians during a gathering after a friendly match.The strikes violated a fragile 48-hour ceasefire amid escalating border clashes. In response, the Afghanistan Cricket Board withdrew from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series in Pakistan.

Read More | Rashid Khan condemns Pakistan airstrikes that killed 3 Afghan cricketers

Excerpts from the full interview:

Sidhant Sibal: Yesterday we saw the brutal attack by the Pakistani military in which young Afghan cricketers were killed. So your reaction?

Sayed Naseem Sadaat:Yes, unfortunately, yesterday, in the Paktika Province of Afghanistan, in the district of Urgun, due to the aerial bombardment of Pakistan state, a number of our civilian people were martyred and three of the martyrs were Afghan cricketers. The local cricketers who had come to the capital of Paktika province for a tournament, and when they were back to the district, they were all together at a place, at a house, and they were martyred in the aerial bombardment by Pakistan state. So unfortunately, we are very sad to hear that, we condemn this incident, and as a result, we are not participating in the tri-series that was going to be hosted by Pakistan in November.

Sidhant Sibal: Is the Afghan Cricket Board planning more actions, other than, of course, the withdrawing from the Tri nation T 20 series in Pakistan in November.
Sayed Naseem Sadaat: We will be looking in the future, because for us, our national interests are a priority. We will be, as per the situation, looking to the highest interest of our country. We will take further decisions.

Sidhant Sibal: Any expectations from other cricket boards globally, whether it's Indian Cricket Board, whether it's the English, whether it's the Australian, then have you reached out to them?
Sayed Naseem Sadaat:Well, we just say that cricket and all the sports, they have the message of peace, and everyone around the world should condemn such brutal attacks that killed innocent people, particularly the cricket players who carry the peace message, it's condemnable, and everybody should condemn such type of barbaric attacks and incidents.

Sidhant Sibal: What's the response of the other cricketers, Afghan cricketers, we have seen Rashid Khan reacting, but do we expect more reactions coming in from the Afghan cricketers..

Sayed Naseem Sadaat: I'm sure the cricket friends and the cricket fraternity would have been following the social media and they would have definitely noticed the comments of Afghan cricketers. All of them condemned this attack, and all of them say that cricket is a game that carries the message of peace, and during such wars, attacking and targeting innocent people, civilian people, cricketers, this is against all the rules and norms of the world, and everybody condemn it.

Sidhant Sibal: Any expectations from the Indian side?

Sayed Naseem Sadaat:Well, our management will be definitely in coordination with the other boards. So whenever we get any new decision, any new information, we will definitely share that with the media.