Afghanistan have withdrawn from their Twenty20 international tri-series in Pakistan next month following the death of three cricketers that the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said were caused by military strikes in Paktika province.

Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were due to meet in the tournament scheduled to take place in Rawalpindi and Lahore between 17 and 29 November.

The ACB said in a statement that the three players travelled to Sharana, the capital of Paktika province in the east, to play in a friendly match and later died during the strikes after returning home to the Urgun district.

"The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan's sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family," the ACB said, mourning the deaths of the players and several others.

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