LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday confirmed that the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series will go ahead as planned, despite Afghanistan’s withdrawal following recent border tensions between the two countries.
A PCB spokesperson told private news channel that the tournament, scheduled to take place in Pakistan from November 17 to 29, will proceed according to the original timeline, adding that the board is evaluating alternatives for the third participating team. The final decision, the spokesperson said, will be announced soon.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the PCB has approached the Zimbabwe Cricket Board as a potential replacement for Afghanistan. The series was initially set to feature Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, with the final to be played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have escalated since October 12, when Taliban forces and India-backed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as Fitna al-Khawarij, launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan.
In response, Pakistan’s armed forces carried out a strong counteroffensive, killing over 200 Afghan Taliban and allied militants in self-defence operations. The military’s media wing confirmed that 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred during the clashes.
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