Afghanistan and Pakistan, embroiled in fighting that has killed dozens of people and injured hundreds, pledged on Sunday to respect a ceasefire.The truce, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, came into effect immediately and is intended to pause hostilities.

The tenuous peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan appears to have ended after days of escalating conflict that came to a head as Afghanistan accused its neighbor of carrying out airstrikes on its territory on Friday.

Afghanistan has pulled out of an upcoming cricket series after three players in a local tournament were killed in an air strike it blamed Pakistan for. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said it would withdraw from November's tri-nation T20 series out of respect for the dead. The three did not play for the national team.

Afghanistan and Pakistan said they had agreed a 48-hour ceasefire on Wednesday, following days of deadly clashes between the neighbors and former allies.

Cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan reached a fever pitch, with Pakistan carrying out airstrikes in Kabul.

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — World test champion South Africa will be heavily relying on its fit-again spinner Keshav Maharaj to level the two-test series against Pakistan as yet another dry pitch is prepared for the second test, starting on Monday.

"We dismiss and condemn this statement by the ICC which gives the impression and makes claims that three Afghan cricketers were killed in Pakistan strikes," Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information,