Rashid Khan Protests Against Pakistan, Removes Lahore Qalandars from Bio After Afghan Players Killed

NEW DELHI: Rashid Khan, the Afghanistan cricket captain, has taken Lahore Qalandars off his social media bio on X after Pakistani aerial attacks had killed eight civilian people, including three local cricketers, in Paktika Province, Afghanistan. The victims were assaulted following a friendly match in Sharana that is the provincial capital.

The killed cricketers were also known as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon. It has elicited an opinion that Rashid may boycott the Pakistan Super League, as a result of the incident.

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Rashid, who joined Lahore Qalandars in 2021, is the winner of three PSL seasons with the franchise, four seasons in total.

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani aerial strikes on Afghanistan. It is absolutely immoral and barbaric to target civilian infrastructure. These unjust and unlawful actions represent a grave violation of human rights and must not go unnoticed," Rashid said in statement on X.

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"In light of the precious innocent souls lost, I welcome the ACB's decision of withdrawing from upcoming fixtures against Pakistan. I stand with our people at this difficult time - our national dignity must come before all else," he added.

Afghan all-rounder Samiullah Shinwari was also grieving about the tragedy. "I was deeply saddened by the news of the martyrdom of the heroic players of Argoon district of Paktika, who were brutally attacked by the Pakistani military regime after a friendly cricket match. The incident is a great sorrow not only for Paktika, but for the entire cricket family and nation of Afghanistan. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the families of these innocent players, my friends and the people of Paktika," he wrote on X.

"We will never forget their memory and sacrifice," Shinwari added.

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