Pakistan Accuses Jay Shah of Trying to Harm Cricket After ICC Statement on Afghan Players’ Deaths
Islamabad/New Delhi, October 2025 – Pakistan has reacted strongly to the International Cricket Council (ICC) statement regarding the deaths of three Afghan cricketers in Afghanistan, accusing ICC Chairman Jay Shah of attempting to damage Pakistan cricket.
Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, said the statement by ICC and Jay Shah was a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of Pakistani cricket. He described Shah’s comments as a continuation of the “no handshake” controversy that took place during the Asia Cup last month.
Afghan Cricketers Killed in Attack
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had earlier reported on social media that three players – Kabir Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon – were killed in a Pakistani attack. Following the incident, Afghanistan decided to withdraw from the three-nation T20 series scheduled next month, which was to include Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe will now replace Afghanistan in the series.
Pakistan Denies ICC Claims
Minister Attaullah Tarar rejected the ICC and Jay Shah statements, calling them “unverified information” and an attempt to malign Pakistan.
In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Tarar said that Pakistan itself is one of the biggest victims of cross-border terrorism.
He wrote:
“Pakistan rejects the biased and hasty statement by ICC, which controversially accepted the claim that three Afghan cricketers were killed in an ‘airstrike.’ ICC has provided no independent or credible evidence to substantiate these claims.”
Tarar added that Jay Shah echoed the same claim.
He also said:
“These allegations are part of a series of efforts by ICC leadership and Jay Shah to damage Pakistan cricket, similar to the attempts during last month’s Asia Cup ‘no handshake’ controversy.”
Background: No Handshake Controversy
During last month’s Asia Cup, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with Pakistani captain Salman Ali Agha at the toss, creating tensions between the two cricket boards.
Pakistan Security Operations
According to Minister Tarar, a recent counter-terrorism operation was conducted based on verified intelligence against the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, resulting in the deaths of 60–70 terrorists.
ICC Statement on Afghan Players’ Deaths
ICC Chairman Jay Shah expressed sorrow over the deaths on X:
“I am saddened by the loss of three young Afghan cricketers – Kabir Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon – whose dreams were cut short by senseless violence.”
The ICC statement added that the three players were returning home after participating in a friendly cricket match when they were killed. ICC condemned the act of violence and expressed solidarity with the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
BCCI Condemns the Incident
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also expressed grief, standing with the Afghanistan Cricket Board, the cricket community, and the families of the deceased.
BCCI said:
“The death of innocent individuals, especially talented players, is extremely sad and concerning. BCCI expresses heartfelt condolences to the people of Afghanistan and shares in their grief and loss.”
Afghanistan Cricket Board Response
The ACB appreciated the ICC statement, stating on X:
“Afghanistan Cricket Board strongly condemns this act of violence. We appreciate ICC’s solidarity and urge strict and decisive action against those responsible for this inhumane attack.”
