Rashid Khan and several Afghanistan cricketers have strongly condemned the deadly Kabul airstrike allegedly carried out by Pakistan, after reports claimed up to 400 people were killed in a strike on a drug rehabilitation hospital. The incident, which unfolded during the holy month of Ramadan, has triggered outrage across the cricketing community, with players calling for justice and an international investigation.
Kabul airstrike: What happened and why it matters
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According to Afghan officials, the airstrike targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul late Monday night. The facility, reportedly a 2,000-bed rehabilitation centre, was heavily damaged, with rescue teams still searching for survivors and bodies.
- Reported death toll: 400
- Injured: 250+
- Target: Drug rehabilitation hospital
- Timing: Late night during Ramadan
Pakistan has denied that it struck a hospital, but the scale of reported civilian casualties has intensified global scrutiny.
This is no longer just a geopolitical flashpoint. It has spilled into the sporting world, with Afghanistan’s biggest cricket stars reacting emotionally and publicly.
Rashid Khan calls it a “war crime”
Afghanistan star Rashid Khan took to X and wrote:
“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. 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!”
His statement has quickly gained traction globally, amplifying calls for accountability.
Mohammad Nabi shares emotional account
Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi also reacted, sharing a video and writing:
“Tonight in Kabul, hope was extinguished at a hospital. Young men seeking treatment were murdered in a bombing by the Pakistani military regime. Mothers waited at the gates, calling their sons’ names. On the 28th night of Ramadan, their lives were cut short.”
Nabi’s words reflect the human cost behind the numbers, shifting focus from statistics to personal loss.
Ibrahim Zadran recounts moment of explosion
T20I captain Ibrahim Zadran, who was in Kabul, described the incident in stark terms:
“Tonight I heard a massive explosion here in Kabul. Moments later, we saw flames rising into the sky from a hospital. Our brothers who intended to fast tomorrow are now gone, or wounded. My thoughts are with every family grieving tonight. Kabul is in pain. We pray for justice.”
His first-hand account adds immediacy and credibility to the unfolding situation.
