“We will also not shake hands with Pakistan” - Ex-Afghanistan captain issues a big statement

Three local players were killed in strikes in an eastern border state, prompting Afghanistan's national team to withdraw from a cricket series in Pakistan, according to the country's governing body.

After returning home from a friendly match in Sharana on Friday, cricket players were "targeted during a gathering" in Urgun district, Paktika province, according to the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on social media.

On Friday, Pakistan carried out an airstrike in the Paktika area of Afghanistan, killing 17 people. According to the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), three club cricket players—Kabir, Sibghatullah, and Haroon—were among the dead, and seven others were hurt.

Numerous cricket players, including Rashid Khan, have condemned Pakistan, and the Afghanistan cricket board has now opted not to play in the tri-series against them. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Karim Sadiq, the former captain of Afghanistan, has now also attacked Pakistan.

Karim Sadiq, the former captain of Afghanistan, has denounced what he called a "cowardly attack" by Pakistan that killed civilians, including three local cricket players. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) reported on Saturday morning that the three players—Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon—were among the eight individuals slain in the Urgun district airstrike. The ACB responded by withdrawing from the forthcoming tri-series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, which was set to take place in November in Lahore and Rawalpindi.

"We are Pathans. We are not afraid of any attack. Three of our major and five of our minor cricketers were killed. Our children come from poor homes. Most people here eat only one meal a day. By killing them, Pakistan has done a cowardly act. But all this will not stop cricket. We will continue to play cricket. But now, just like India, we will also not shake hands with Pakistan," Karim Sadiq told NDTV.

He also questioned why the Afghan people should be classified as terrorists. He went on to say that love is their religion and that they wish to use cricket to spread that message. As a result, Pakistan is the target of intense resentment in Afghanistan, and their cricketing relationship is unlikely to improve anytime soon.

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