Zimbabwe to replace Afghanistan in Pakistan tri-series
Lahore(PTI): Zimbabwe will replace Afghanistan in the three-nation T20I tournament to be played in Pakistan from November 17 to 29, the PCB said on Saturday.
Afghanistan announced earlier in the day that it would not be sending its team to Pakistan for the tournament, citing the tragic death of three of its cricketers which it claimed occurred in Pakistan’s air strikes in Paktika province.
Sri Lanka are the third side in the tournament beginning in Rawalpindi.
In a statement announcing Zimbabwe's participation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) merely said that "Afghanistan expressed their inability to participate in the tournament."
"Zimbabwe Cricket has accepted the Pakistan Cricket Board’s invitation to participate in a T20I tri-series also featuring Sri Lanka, to be staged in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 17 to 29 November," the PCB said.
"The maiden tri-series on Pakistan soil has been scheduled to provide all three sides with preparation ahead of next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka."
The tri-series will commence on November 17, with hosts Pakistan taking on Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second fixture will also be played at the same venue on November 19, when Sri Lanka take on Zimbabwe.
Following the two matches in Rawalpindi, the action will shift to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, which will stage the remaining five matches, including the final on November 29.
Earlier in the day, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), in a post on X, stated that several lives were lost in the incident, including the three players returning home after a "friendly' match in Sharana, the provincial capital.
"The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan's sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family," it said in a statement.
Describing the incident as "tragic", the ACB said "as a gesture of respect to the victims" it had "decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series."
The ICC and the BCCI have also condemned the killing of the aspiring cricketers.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
