Who were the three young Afghan cricketers killed in Pakistan attack?

As the cricket world woke up on Saturday to the shocking news of three young Afghan players being among the eight civilians killed in a reported fresh aerial strike by Pakistan, there has been a curiosity about the identity of the trio.  The three were identified as Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah and Haroon.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) expressed grief over the killing of these cricketers and announced their withdrawal from the upcoming tri-nation series, also involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The tri-series was scheduled to be held in Pakistan from 17 November with the final on 29 November.

The incident, happening within 48 hours of a ceasefire being agreed upon by former allies Afghanistan and Pakistan, is expected to drive another wedge between two members of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) after the flare-up between India and Pakistan during the Men’s Asia Cup.

Following is a thumbnail look at the three dead cricketers:

Kabeer Agha: The youngster known for his aggressive batting at the top of the order, was on verge of getting shortlisted for the Under-23 provincial camp due to his consistent shows at the domestic level. He has represented regional clubs at the domestic level and played in youth tournaments organised by the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s southern committee.

Sibghatullah: A medium pacer form the affected Paktika region, Sibghatullah played for Urgun Warriors in the local tournaments approved by the ACB. After being spotted during last year’s Paktika Premier League, Sibghatullah had emerged as a leader for future.

Afghanistan cancel T20 series with Pak following death of three cricketers

Haroon: The promising allrounder had established himself as one of the emerging faces in the country’s domestic scene with consistent performances in local T20 and tape-ball tournaments. Haroon bowled orthodox off-spin and was a right-handed batter who was studying at a local college along with pursuing his cricketing ambitions.

 The incident sparked a major outrage among the international Afghan players with Rashid Khan, captain and leg spin wizard, condemning the incident as 'barbaric.' Other teammates like veteran Mohammed Nabi, Gulbadan Naib and pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi also took to social media to voice their condemnation.

Nabi, one of the most recognisable faces of Afghan cricket and a former captain, said: ‘’This incident is not only a tragedy for Paktika but for the entire Afghan cricket family and the nation as a whole.’’

 ‘’We are deeply saddened by the cowardly military attack in Argun, Paktika, that martyred innocent civilians and fellow cricketers. This brutal act by the Pakistan army is an assault on our people, pride and independence but it will never break the Afghan spirit,’’ Naib wrote.

Terming the act as ‘heinous,’ Farooqi posted: ‘’The massacre of innocent civilians and our domestic cricket players by these oppressors is a heinous, unforgivable crime. May Almighty Allah grant the martyrs the highest place in Paradise, humiliate the perpetrators, and subject them to His wrath. The killing of players and civilians is not honour — it is the deepest disgrace.’’