LAHORE – Pakistan’s participation in the relaunched Afghanistan Premier League (APL) remains likely after former fast bowler Mohammad Amir emerged as only Pakistani cricketer selected in Dubai draft, amid reports that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is unlikely to grant NOCs to other players for the tournament.
Amir has been picked by Kandahar Warriors in Platinum category, while no other current or former Pakistani international featured among the selections announced for the five-team competition. Although PCB has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, reports suggest the board is reluctant to clear Pakistani players for the Afghan T20 league.
A PCB spokesperson reportedly told a cricket website that the chances of Pakistani cricketers receiving NOCs for the competition appeared slim. The draft has also brought together several established international names, including England’s Moeen Ali and Alex Hales, West Indies batter Johnson Charles, Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan.
Afghanistan’s leading cricketers Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah and Ibrahim Zadran have been appointed captains of the five franchises. A last-minute leadership adjustment was also announced before the draft, with Gurbaz taking charge of Team Paktia and Rahmat Shah moving to Nangarhar Kazmics.
Amir, Moeen Ali and Hasaranga among Top Picks
Platinum category featured five major international signings, with Amir securing a place at Kandahar Warriors.
The category’s selections include:
- Kandahar Warriors – Mohammad Amir
- Team Balkh – Moeen Ali
- Nangarhar Kazmics – Alex Hales
- Excel United Kabul – Johnson Charles
- Team Paktia – Wanindu Hasaranga
The Diamond category also produced several notable acquisitions, with Afghanistan internationals and overseas players distributed across the five teams.
Diamond category
- Kandahar Warriors – Mohammad Nabi and Joe Clarke
- Excel United Kabul – Fazalhaq Farooqi and Dushmantha Chameera
- Team Balkh – Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar and Lockie Wood
- Team Paktia – Noor Ahmad and Nahid Rana
- Nangarhar Kazmics – Darwish Rasooli and Shakib Al Hasan
Afghanistan Premier League also triggered ethical debate in English cricket, with questions being raised over whether international players should participate in a competition associated with Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power. England batter Ollie Pope has already withdrawn from the draft, with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director of cricket Rob Key confirming that he would not take part.
ECB has avoided arranging bilateral series against Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control in 2021. Last year, ECB chairman Richard Thompson went further by describing the treatment of women and girls under Taliban rule as ‘gender apartheid’.
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) revealed that approximately 1,500 domestic and international players initially registered for the competition. Following the preliminary process, the pool was reduced to 462 cricketers eligible for selection in the draft held on Tuesday. The players were divided into five categories: Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver and Emerging.
Under the tournament’s squad regulations, each franchise can register up to 19 active players. The main draft will determine 17 squad positions, while franchises can add up to two more players through a supplementary selection round. ACB has also introduced specific requirements to maintain a strong domestic presence in the competition.
Every franchise must include at least 12 Afghan or local players, while overseas representation has been capped at seven, with a minimum requirement of six foreign cricketers. Teams can field three or four overseas players in their playing XI. However, the final XI must contain at least seven Afghan or local cricketers, including a minimum of one player from the Emerging category. The combined player salary budget for each franchise has been fixed at $0.7million, setting a financial ceiling for team recruitment.
APL is returning after a troubled first attempt in 2018, when the Afghanistan Cricket Board introduced a five-team franchise competition featuring several internationally recognised players. Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and Shahid Afridi were among the high-profile names who participated in its inaugural season.
However, the tournament failed to establish itself as a regular fixture on the cricket calendar. Payment-related disputes and concerns over the league’s transparency emerged after its first edition, eventually bringing the competition to a halt.
