Jalalabad Blasts: Eight Killed, 45 Injured at Cricket Match in Afghanistan

There is no doubt about the fact that the Afghanistan national team has been rising in the ladder over the last few years. Their rise has been quite phenomenal, to say the least. Some of their national players are hot properties in different Twenty20 Leagues all over the world.

Even in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the likes of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman has been outstanding for their respective franchises.

Teenage sensation Rashid has been an impressive performer for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) since the last year. Meanwhile, Mujeeb has also bowled quite brilliantly for Kings XI Punjab (KXIP).

However, it must be noted that the infrastructure in Afghanistan isn’t the ideal place to conduct proper cricket matches.

Due to an explosion during a cricket match as many as eight people were killed owing to multiple blasts during a cricket match in the eastern Nangarhar Province.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time that a cricket match in Afghanistan has been marred due to bomb blasts. It was only last year during the Shpageeza Cricket League Twenty20 Tournament that a bomb explosion took place outside the Kabul International Stadium.

It also meant that many overseas players left the tournament midway owing to security concerns. This incident too puts a huge question mark on the future of cricket in the country.

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45 injured during the several blasts:

As per reports in the Times Now, the unfortunate explosion happened during a cricket match. It was played at night which attracted hundreds of spectators. An Afghan spokesperson said at least eight were killed during the explosion.

Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor in Nangarhar further claimed that around 45 people were injured during the explosion. Meanwhile, investigations are underway.

“Around 45 others have been wounded at the sports stadium late last night in the provincial capital of Jalalabad. An investigation is underway,” he said in a statement.

So far, no one has claimed the responsibility for the gruesome attack.

However, it is noted that the Taliban insurgents and the Islamic State Group are quite active in Afghanistan especially in the Nangarhar province.

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