At Least Four Injured Following Grenade Blast in Afghan Cricket Stadium

The explosion occurred during a cricket match between Pamir Zalmi and Band-e-Amir Dragons in a domestic T20 league.

A grenade blast during a match at Afghanistan's main cricket stadium injured at least four spectators and led to a brief halt in the game.

(Photo: Wikimedia

A grenade blast during a match at Afghanistan's main cricket stadium injured at least four spectators and led to a brief halt in the game on Friday, 29 July, Reuters reported, quoting an official of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).

The explosion occurred during a cricket match between Pamir Zalmi and Band-e-Amir Dragons in Afghanistan’s domestic T20 league held at the Kabul International Cricket Stadium

Nassib Khan, Chief Executive of the ACB was quoted by Reuters, and said, “The match was going on between two teams in Shpageza League, and during the match a blast happened; four civilians in the crowd have been injured.”

"The match stopped for a while. After a clean-up of the area, the match restarted," the spokesman, Khalid Zadran, told Reuters.

While violence in Afghanistan has reduced since the Taliban's takeover, the jihadist Islamic State group has carried out several bombings and gun attacks in recent months.

The 2022 edition of the Shpageeza Cricket League, its eighth season, is the first couch tournament since the Taliban took over in August last year.

(With inputs from Reuters)