ISLAMABAD: The rising diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have spilled over into the cricketing world, with Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information, Ata Tarar, delivering a stinging rebuke to the International Cricket Council (ICC) over its statement on the tragic deaths of three young Afghan cricketers.
Tarar, dismissing the ICC’s condolence message as “selective” and “biased,” condemned the statement for allegedly creating an unverified impression that the deaths were a result of Pakistani strikes. The minister asserted, “We dismiss and condemn this statement by the ICC which gives the impression and makes claims that three Afghan cricketers were killed in Pakistan strikes.”
The Crisis in Paktika and its Fallout
The controversy stems from a recent escalation of cross-border conflict, where three local Afghan cricketers from the Urgun District in Paktika Province were reportedly killed in aerial strikes. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) made this claim following the deaths, which Taliban officials say claimed at least 10 lives across three locations in the province. The cricketers were said to be returning home after a friendly match in Sharana.
In the wake of these strikes, the ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued statements to condole the deaths. However, Minister Tarar criticized the ICC for not independently verifying the claims made by the ACB before issuing its statement, which he implied tacitly blamed Pakistan.
“The ICC has not bothered to independently verify the claims by the Afghanistan board and issued a statement claiming a Pakistan attack,” Tarar argued, stressing that Pakistan has long been a victim of terrorism itself and demanding the global governing body “correct its statement.”
Questions Raised Over ICC’s Neutrality
The Pakistani minister did not stop at questioning the ICC’s verification process; he also raised serious concerns about its neutrality, particularly in relation to the involvement of BCCI.
“It is strange that a few hours after the ICC statement, the Chairman of the ICC Jay Shah repeated the same words on his social media account and the Afghanistan board followed with similar words,” Tarar observed. He accused the ACB of making statements “without presenting any real evidence.”
Tarar suggested that this incident, alongside the “no-handshake episode” during the recent Asia Cup, could be indicative of a “biased approach towards Pakistan cricket.” He stressed that an international sports governing body should not promote “a controversial claim yet to be verified,” and should avoid making contentious statements “on the incitement of others.”
Cricket and Diplomacy
The immediate consequence in the sports arena was the ACB’s decision to pull out of the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series involving Pakistan. Following the withdrawal, Pakistan swiftly replaced Afghanistan with Zimbabwe in the series, which also features Sri Lanka.
The tragic events have deeply affected the Afghan cricket fraternity, with star players such as Rashid Khan and Gulbadin Naib publicly condemning the aerial attack in strong language on social media.
Meanwhile, on the diplomatic front, a fragile peace has been achieved, with both Afghanistan and Pakistan agreeing to an “immediate ceasefire” after the latest round of attacks, following a brief 48-hour truce. The truce was brokered by the diplomatic efforts of Qatar and Turkey, with plans for follow-up meetings to ensure the ceasefire’s long-term stability and verification.