The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the upcoming T20I Tri-Nation series will go ahead as scheduled, despite Afghanistan’s withdrawal following Pakistan’s recent air strikes.
Tensions Trigger Series Exit
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officially pulled out of the tournament, citing the death of three local cricketers in the cross-border air strikes that killed ten people in total. The incident reportedly violated a 48-hour ceasefire agreed between the two nations.
In a statement, the ACB condemned the attack and announced it would not travel to Pakistan. Afghan skipper Rashid Khan called the incident “barbaric and immoral,” while former captain Mohammad Nabi and all-rounder Gulbadin Naib also expressed anger on social media.
PCB Responds To Withdrawal
A PCB spokesperson told Hindustan Times that the series, scheduled from November 17 to 29, will continue as planned. “The tri-series is still on and the third team will be finalised shortly,” the spokesperson said.
The PCB is reportedly exploring replacements for Afghanistan, with Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) among those approached to join Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the tournament.
ICC Alerted Before Escalation
Sources told PTI that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had written to the International Cricket Council (ICC) earlier this week, urging the body to prepare an alternate plan in case of Afghanistan’s withdrawal.
“The PCB chairman asked the ICC to start working on an alternate plan as he wanted the tri-series to go ahead,” a source revealed.
Series To Proceed In Lahore
Despite the political tension, the PCB remains committed to hosting the event in Lahore, ensuring that international cricket continues uninterrupted in Pakistan. The final is scheduled for November 29.
The situation between the two countries worsened after explosions in Kabul, which coincided with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India. Pakistan has denied responsibility for the attacks but claimed to have killed 30 militants in retaliatory operations against Pakistani Taliban hideouts inside Afghanistan.
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