“Deeply Saddened,” Rashid Khan Supports Afghanistan Cricket Team Boycotting Fixtures Against Pakistan

Following Afghanistan's tri-series boycott against Pakistan, Rashid Khan asserted that national dignity is paramount, above all other concerns.

“Deeply Saddened,” Rashid Khan Supports Afghanistan Cricket Team Boycotting Fixtures Against Pakistan

Rashid Khan supported the Afghanistan Cricket Board's decision to boycott matches against Pakistan, amid tensions. (via NDTV Sports)

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Afghanistan cricketing icon Rashid Khan strongly backed his side’s decision to boycott fixtures against Pakistan, amidst the escalating cross-border conflict between the two countries. Khan’s comment came in the aftermath of a deadly airstrike by the Pakistani military on civilian areas in Afghanistan.

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been intense, culminating in a full-scale border conflict that erupted earlier this month. Pakistan had initially carried out airstrikes in the cities of Kabul, Khost, Jalalabad and Paktika, targeting members of the banned ‘Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan’. The fighting, which had claimed dozens of lives on both sides, paused briefly after a 48-hour ceasefire was agreed upon.

However, the Pakistani military reportedly breached this ceasefire agreement by once again carrying out airstrikes in Paktika, Afghanistan, specifically targeting residential areas in the Argun and Bermal districts close to the border.

A statement by the Taliban-led Afghanistan government reported that eight people lost their lives, including children and women. Among the deceased were three young emerging Afghan cricketers, who were travelling from Argun to Sharana to participate in a friendly match. 

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) shared a statement to condole the death of the three players, whose names have been identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon. The ACB immediately announced its decision to withdraw from the tri-series in Pakistan, which was scheduled to be played in Lahore and Rawalpindi next month. Sri Lanka is the other team, which was slated to be a part of the T20I tri-series. 

Afghan spinner Rashid Khan lashed out at Pakistan for the attacks, while standing behind in support of the ACB’s decision to boycott playing matches against the hostile nation. Khan took to social media to express his profound grief and anger at the recent attacks, while noting that the tragedy claimed the lives of those players who were hoping to play for Afghanistan in the future.

He also slammed Pakistan for its ‘violation of human rights’, while labeling the attack as ‘immoral’ and ‘barbaric’. Khan wrote on X:

I am deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani aerial strikes on Afghanistan. A tragedy that claimed the lives of women, children, and aspiring young cricketers who dreamed of representing their nation on the world stage. It is absolutely immoral…

Not just that, but Khan also removed the Lahore Qalandars reference from his ‘X’ bio, despite having played for the PSL franchise since 2021. It seems evident that the 27-year-old spin-bowling all-rounder might end his association with the PSL, ahead of the 2026 season.

Rashid Khan Back on Top of ICC ODI Bowling Rankings Following Bangladesh Series Sweep

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan reclaimed the top spot in the ICC ODI Bowling Rankings, following his impressive display in a 3-0 ODI series clean-sweep over Bangladesh. It marks the 27-year-old’s return to the no.1 spot after a year, having last held the spot in November 2024. 

Rashid Khan ICC Rankings
Rashid Khan has risen to the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings. (via News Bytes)

Rashid Khan jumped five places from the number six position to make it to the summit of the rankings, with 710 rating points, removing South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj. His rise to top was backed by his noteworthy performance in the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh recently, where he picked up 11 wickets at an average of 6.09, while giving runs away at a miserly economy rate of 2.73.

Afghanistan came back from a disastrous 0-3 defeat in the T20I series against Bangladesh, to humble their opponents in three ODIs. Not only Rashid Khan, but Player of the Series Ibrahim Zadran also rose to a career-best second-spot on the ICC Men’s Batting Rankings, after finishing the ODI series against Bangladesh with 213 runs at an average of 71.00, hitting two half-centuries.

Meanwhile, 2024 ODI Player of the Year Azmatullah Omarzai regained the no.1 spot on the all-rounder’s ranking, while Rashid Khan rose to the fourth place. Apart from Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the only other Afghan player to occupy a place among the top 20, on the ODI Batting Rankings. 

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