ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan’s opening batter Ibrahim Zadran, who won the Player of the Match award for scoring 87 runs against Pakistan, said on Monday he wanted to dedicate his swashbuckling innings to Afghan nationals who have been asked by the Pakistani authorities to leave in recent weeks due to security reasons.
Zadran made the statement at the post-match ceremony after his team stunned Pakistan with an eight-wicket victory at the ICC World Cup 2023, making it even more difficult for the Green Shirts to get into the semifinals of the tournament.
This was Afghanistan’s first-ever one-day victory over Pakistan as they chased down a 283-run target with an over to spare.
“I wanted to go out there with a positive mind and positive intent and I did it,” Zadran said in his brief interview while also paying tribute to fellow opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz while pointing out they had been “playing together since the under-16 days.”
“I am feeling very glad for myself, for my country,” he added. “And I will say I want to dedicate this man of the match [award] to those people who have been sent back from Pakistan to Afghanistan.”
Pakistani officials have said in recent weeks that they want to address the issue of illegal immigrants, mostly Afghan nationals, and enhance border security amid an escalation in militant attacks in different parts of the country.
Caretaker Interior minister Sarfaraz Bugti said earlier this month that Afghan nationals were involved in 14 out of 24 suicide bombings since January while explaining the rationale behind the government’s decision to warn all illegal immigrants to leave the country by November 1 or face forcible expulsion.
Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott also said on Monday the “sky’s the limit” for his team after it handed a crushing defeat to Pakistan.
“I think the two opening batters that we have are very, very exceptionally talented young players and the sky’s the limit for both of them,” the former England batsman Trott noted.
“They’re different types of players and my message to them is just keep growing your own game and play your own way,” he added.
Ibrahim Zadran dedicates Player of the Match award to Afghans facing expulsion from Pakistan
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Ibrahim Zadran dedicates Player of the Match award to Afghans facing expulsion from Pakistan
- Zadran’s 87-run knock helped Afghanistan stun Pakistan with an eight-wicket victory at the ICC World Cup
- Pakistan has asked ‘illegal immigrants,’ mostly Afghans, to leave in recent weeks amid rising militant attacks
Pakistan army chief says future warfare will rely on technology over battlefield maneuvers
- Asim Munir cites drones, electronic warfare and surveillance as central to future war operations
- Remarks follow Pakistan’s 2025 military conflict with India that highlighted role of technology
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief said on Thursday future conflicts would be shaped more by technology than traditional battlefield maneuvers, as the military accelerates its shift toward drone warfare, electronic systems and networked command structures, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan military.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, who also serves as Chief of Defense Forces, made the remarks while visiting the Bahawalpur Garrison in southern Punjab, where he observed a high-intensity field exercise focused on integrating new technologies into conventional military operations, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The exercise, titled Steadfast Resolve, involved unmanned aerial systems, advanced surveillance assets, electronic warfare capabilities and modern command-and-control mechanisms, reflecting what the military described as a move toward “technology-enabled multi-domain operations.”
“Character of war has evolved massively, with technological advancements driving the evolution, dictating huge mental transformation at all tiers,” Munir said while addressing troops, according to the ISPR statement.
“In future, technological maneuvers will replace physical maneuvers and will fundamentally alter the way offensive and defensive operations are undertaken,” he added.
Militaries worldwide are reassessing combat doctrine as drones, electronic warfare and real-time data increasingly shape outcomes on modern battlefields. In South Asia, those shifts gained renewed attention following military exchanges between Pakistan and India in May 2025, when both sides employed surveillance, electronic countermeasures and precision capabilities alongside conventional forces, underscoring the growing role of non-kinetic domains.
Munir said the Pakistan army was “embracing and absorbing technology at a rapid pace,” adding that “innovation, indigenization and adaptation shall remain fundamental” as the military prepares for future battlefield and security challenges.
The army chief also reiterated that Pakistan’s armed forces remained prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while emphasizing the need to maintain readiness as warfare increasingly expands across physical, cyber and electronic domains.
