Rashid Khan’s removal of Lahore Qalandars from his social media bio reflects escalating tensions after recent Pakistani airstrikes that killed Afghan civilians.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has removed the mention of Lahore Qalandars, his Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise, from his bio on X (formerly Twitter), following Afghanistan’s withdrawal from the upcoming tri-nation T20I series in Pakistan. The decision comes in protest against recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan that reportedly killed eight civilians — including three young cricketers.
Rashid, one of the most prominent voices in Afghan cricket, had listed the major teams he plays for across the globe in his X bio — the Afghanistan national team, Indian Premier League (IPL) side Gujarat Titans, Big Bash League (BBL) team Adelaide Strikers, and PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars. However, a recent update shows that Lahore Qalandars has been removed, leaving only his IPL and BBL affiliations intact alongside the national team.
The move came shortly after Rashid issued a strongly worded statement condemning the strikes and supporting the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s (ACB) decision to withdraw from the tri-series, which was set to be held in Lahore from November 17 to 29, featuring Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and now Zimbabwe.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani aerial strikes on Afghanistan — a tragedy that claimed the lives of women, children, and aspiring young cricketers who dreamed of representing their nation on the world stage,” Rashid posted on X.
“These unjust and unlawful actions represent a grave violation of human rights and must not go unnoticed. In light of the precious innocent souls lost, I welcome the ACB’s decision of withdrawing from upcoming fixtures against Pakistan. I stand with our people at this difficult time — our national dignity must come before all else.”