Pakistan in Talks with Three Teams to Replace Afghanistan in Tri-Series After Players’ Deaths

After Afghanistan pulled out of the proposed T20I three-match tri-nation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is hard at work in the manner of salvaging the tournament by introducing a new team. The PTI report indicates that there are ongoing negotiations with associate members Nepal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the local media report that discussions are also going on to rope in a Test-playing country with Zimbabwe apparently being contacted.

The tri-nation series (also including Sri Lanka) will take place in Lahore between November 17 and 29. Since the abrupt withdrawal by Afghanistan, the PCB has reiterated that the tournament will by all means take place.

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“The Tri-Series will progress as scheduled even after Afghanistan’s withdrawal. We are looking at a replacement team and once finalised, the announcement will be made,” said a senior PCB official on Saturday.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had previously reported that its national team was not going to Pakistan as it said the tragedy of three cricketers who died in Pakistan airstrikes in the Paktika province of Afghanistan caused the withdrawal.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in a strongly worded statement, expressed its deep saddening to the tragic martyrdom of the players who were killed after they had been attacked after returning to Urgun District in Paktika Province after a friendly match. Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon were all players with the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). The incident resulted in the injury of seven others.

"The Afghanistan Cricket Board expresses its deepest sorrow and grief over the tragic martyrdom of the brave cricketers from Urgun District in Paktika Province, who were targeted this evening in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime," ACB said in a statement.

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Pakistan, according to reports, also resumed its ceasefire with the two countries by launching airstrikes in the Argun and Barmal districts of Paktika province.

In recent years, there has been a poor cricketing relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Although no bilateral series in Afghanistan had been played with Pakistan since they became a Test country, their A teams and players have visited Pakistan previously and participated in its domestic competitions.

Without Afghanistan, the PCB is eager to keep the competitive quality of the tri-series intact. Though efficiently possible to change Afghanistan with associate countries Nepal and UAE, PCB sources said that they had also communicated with Zimbabwe as the board would like a Test-playing nation to replace Afghanistan in the tournament.

“The international cricket department is in contact with several boards, and we are prioritising a full-member team to keep the tournament’s profile intact,” the official added.

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