Goa, Oct. 18 -- At least three Afghanistani cricketers were killed in a Pakistani airstrike in Paktika province, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed. The players, identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, had traveled from Urgun to Sharana near the Pakistan border to participate in a friendly cricket match.

The attack also claimed the lives of five other individuals. According to the ACB, the victims were targeted "after returning home to Urgun during a gathering," describing the strike as a "cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime." Further details about the incident have not been released.

In response to the attack, Afghanistan has withdrawn from a planned tri-nation series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka next ...