Last Updated on 4 weeks ago by Charbel Coorey
Cricket Australia is monitoring the situation in Pakistan ahead of the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL) due to the conflict with Afghanistan. The deadly conflict escalated further when an air strike struck a rehabilitation centre in Kabul. The Taliban government has blamed Pakistan for the attack.
Afghan cricketers including Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai spoke out against the tragic event that has reportedly resulted in “hundreds of casualties.”
“I am deeply saddened by the latest reports of civilian casualties as a result of Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul. Targeting civilian homes, educational facilities or medical infrastructure, either intentional or by mistake, is a war crime,” Rashid wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“The sheer disregard for human lives, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, is sickening and deeply concerning. It will only fuel division and hatred. I call upon the UN and other human rights agencies to thoroughly investigate this latest atrocity and hold the perpetrators to account. I stand with my Afghan people in this difficult time. We shall heal, and we will rise as a nation. We always do. Inshallah!”
Cricket Australia monitoring situation involving Pakistan and Afghanistan, with player pullouts a possibility
PSL 2026 begins on March 26. A number of Australians are set to feature, including Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne, Aaron Hardie and Jake Fraser-McGurk.
According to CODE Sports, the players are being briefed on the war in the Middle East and West Asia, including the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict. Also, there is a fixture in Peshawar on March 28 between Peshawar Zalmi and Rawalpindi Pindiz, where Hardie and Fraser-McGurk may not be permitted to feature.
Currently, the Australian Government’s advice is “do not travel” to Pakistan’s west bordering Afghanistan. Peshawar’s proximity to the Afghan border makes this a high-risk location according to SmartTraveller.
The Australian players and coaches – including Tim Paine and Jason Gillespie – are set to leave for Pakistan as early as this weekend.
