‘India is our close friend...’: Afghan cricketer calls for support, slams Pakistan

Afghanistan’s rising cricket star Allah Ghazanfar has issued a defiant and emotional plea to the global community following a devastating airstrike on a rehabilitation centre in Kabul. The attack, which Afghan officials attribute to the Pakistani military, has reportedly left 400 people dead and hundreds more injured, marking a grim escalation in the ongoing cross-border conflict

The strike targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed facility in the capital. While Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesperson, Hamdullah Fitrat, confirmed that the hospital was largely reduced to rubble, Pakistani authorities have denied the allegations, maintaining that their operations targeted military infrastructure.

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‘An unacceptable act’

Ghazanfar, who is set to join the Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2026 season later this month, spoke out against the targeting of vulnerable civilians. He highlighted that the facility served those with no other options for care.

"The people there don’t have money for treatment," Ghazanfar told News18. "And now, they’ve targeted that place as well; they’ve martyred those people. This is not acceptable to the people of Afghanistan."

The teenage spinner questioned the strategic logic behind striking a medical facility, stating that he could not understand what such actions were intended to prove. He expressed disbelief at the targeting of ordinary citizens, asserting that such violence is something neither he nor the nation of Afghanistan can tolerate.

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A warning to Pakistan

Reflecting on the long and turbulent history of his nation, Ghazanfar suggested that those involved should be wary of the past, noting that if history were to repeat itself, the consequences for Pakistan would be severe.

Despite the escalating rhetoric between the two neighbours, the cricketer urged for a diplomatic resolution. He remarked that the ongoing conflict serves no one's interest and pointed out that the world is already grappling with enough challenges without further bloodshed.

The ‘close friendship’ with India

As he prepares to travel to India for the IPL, Ghazanfar described the nation as a "close friend" and called for international intervention to prevent further bloodshed.

"India is our close friend. We want to engage with them, to talk about these issues, so that things like this don’t happen. This is our request to other countries too. This is not good for the people," he concluded.

The airstrike has drawn international condemnation, with nations describing the incident as "barbaric." Meanwhile, rescue teams in Kabul continue to search the debris of the Omid hospital, with the death toll expected to rise. (With inputs from Agencies)