LAHORE, Oct 18 (Agencies): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday confirmed that the Tri-Nation T20I series will take place as per schedule, despite Afghanistan pulling out of the tournament amid the recent tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
A PCB spokesperson told Geo News that the event, set to be held in Pakistan from November 17 to 29, will proceed according to the original schedule, as the cricket board is considering options for the third team.
The spokesperson added that the final decision would be announced soon.
Sources privy to the developments indicated that the PCB has approached the Zimbabwe Cricket Board as a potential replacement for Afghanistan. The tri-nation series was originally slated to feature Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, with the final scheduled at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.
Islamabad and Kabul witnessed heightened tensions since October 12, when the Taliban forces and India-backed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), alias Fitna al-Khawarij, resorted to an unprovoked attack on Pakistan. The Pakistan Armed Forces gave a befitting response to the aggression, killing over 200 Afghan Taliban and affiliated militants in a self-defence action. The military's media wing said that 23 soldiers embraced martyrdom in the clashes with the Taliban forces and the terrorists.
Earlier, Afghanistan have pulled out of a tri-nation series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka next month after three local cricketers were killed in an attack, the country's cricket board said on Friday.
The ACB said that the players had travelled from Urgun to Sharana in the eastern Paktika province on the Pakistan border to take part in a friendly match.
It said that "after returning home to Urgun, they were targeted during a gathering" in what it described as "a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime".
The ACB named the three players as "Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon", and said that five other people were also killed in the attack. The ACB did not give any more details on the attack. It said that it "considers this a great loss for Afghanistan's sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family", while extending its "deepest condolences and solidarity to the bereaved families".
The ACB said that it had decided to withdraw from next month's tri-series "as a gesture of respect to the victims".
