'Tragedy for entire cricketing world': ICC chief Jay Shah after Pak air strike kills three Afghan players

International Cricket Council chairman Jay Shah on Saturday expressed his condolences at the death of three promising Afghanistan cricketers, who lost their lives in an air-strike conducted in the Argun and Barmal districts of Paktika province.

According to reports, it is believed that Pakistan conducted airstrikes which have also halted the ceasefire between the two nations.

"Deeply saddened by the loss of three young Afghan cricketers, Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, whose dreams were cut short by a senseless act of violence," Shah wrote on X.

"The loss of such promising talent is a tragedy not just for Afghanistan but for the entire cricketing world.

We stand in solidarity with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and all those mourning this heartbreaking loss," he added.

Zimbabwe will replace Afghanistan in the three-nation T20I tournament to be played in Pakistan from November 17 to 29, the PCB said on Saturday.

Afghanistan announced earlier in the day that it would not be sending its team to Pakistan for the tournament, citing the tragic death of three of its cricketers which it claimed occurred in Pakistan's air strikes in Paktika province.

Sri Lanka are the third side in the tournament beginning in Rawalpindi.

In a statement announcing Zimbabwe's participation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) merely said that "Afghanistan expressed their inability to participate in the tournament."

"Zimbabwe Cricket has accepted the Pakistan Cricket Board's invitation to participate in a T20I tri-series also featuring Sri Lanka, to be staged in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 17 to 29 November," the PCB said.

"The maiden tri-series on Pakistan soil has been scheduled to provide all three sides with preparation ahead of next year's ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka."

The tri-series will commence on November 17, with hosts Pakistan taking on Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The second fixture will also be played at the same venue on November 19, when Sri Lanka take on Zimbabwe.

Following the two matches in Rawalpindi, the action will shift to Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, which will stage the remaining five matches, including the final on November 29.

Earlier in the day, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), in a post on X, stated that several lives were lost in the incident, including the three players returning home after a "friendly' match in Sharana, the provincial capital.

"The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan's sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family," it said in a statement.

Describing the incident as "tragic", the ACB said "as a gesture of respect to the victims" it had "decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series."

The BCCI has also condemned the killing of the aspiring cricketers.

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