Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan, File) Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has removed Lahore Qalandars from his social media bio after his country decided to withdraw from the upcoming tri-nation T20I series in Pakistan. The withdrawal comes in protest against recent Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan that reportedly killed eight civilians, including three young cricketers.
Rashid Khan X handle
Widely regarded as one of Afghanistan’s most influential cricketers, Rashid has previously listed all his major teams on X (formerly Twitter), including the national side, Gujarat Titans in the IPL, Adelaide Strikers in the BBL and Lahore Qalandars in the PSL. The latest update now shows that the Qalandars have been removed, leaving only their affiliation with the IPL and BBL alongside the Afghanistan national team.
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The change followed a strongly worded statement by Rashid, who condemned the airstrikes and expressed support for the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s (ACB) decision to pull out of the series scheduled to be held in Lahore from November 17-29. The tri-series was to feature Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
Rashid Khan post on X
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani airstrikes – a tragedy that claimed women, children and young cricketers who want to represent Afghanistan on the global stage,” Rashid wrote on X. “These illegal acts are a grave violation of human rights. I fully support the ACB’s decision to withdraw. Our national dignity must come first.”
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The ACB confirmed that the three cricketers killed in the attacks – Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon – hailed from Paktika’s Urgun district, while seven others were injured.Afghan players have expressed strong reactions to the incident. All-rounder Gulbadin Naib wrote, “This brutal act of Pakistan Army is an attack on our people, pride and independence, but it will never break the Afghan spirit.”Rashid Khan’s move, both in public statements and in his biography, underscores the growing tension and emotional toll of the attacks on Afghan cricket as the team takes a firm stance on national dignity and respect for the lives lost.
