The Afghanistan Cricket Board has unveiled a major policy update, with an emphasis on safeguarding player welfare and strengthening the performance of the national team. The ACB has announced a new rule allowing its cricketers to participate in franchise-based T20 tournaments in addition to domestic tournaments, not more than three in a year. Afghanistan Premier League (APL).
The move was approved at the board's annual general meeting in Kabul and reflects growing concerns over workload management and player fitness. Under the new policy, Afghan international players will be eligible to participate in the five-team franchise-based APL tournament, which is scheduled to begin later this year and will be played in the UAE.
The ACB explained that the cap is designed to help players maintain their physical and mental well-being and ensure that they are available for national duties.
“To safeguard the fitness and mental well-being of players, the Board has approved a new policy with regard to foreign leagues. Players will now be allowed to participate in only three other international leagues per year apart from the Afghanistan Premier League (APL). This measure is aimed at managing workload and ensuring top performance for national duties,” the ACB statement read.
The decision could have far-reaching implications for some of Afghanistan's most sought-after T20 stars, who can be seen playing in the T20 league throughout the year. players like Rashid Khan, Players currently starring in a number of global leagues including SA20, IPL, ILT20 and MLC will now have to make strategic choices about where to play to stay within the new limits.
Other franchise stars, such as Noor Ahmed, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, AM Ghazanfar, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Its impact will also be felt as they will now have to manage their participation in foreign leagues keeping in mind the new guidelines.
For those unaware, the Afghanistan men's team is currently preparing for a three-match T20I series against West Indies in the UAE and will soon travel to India for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, where they will begin their campaign against New Zealand on February 08. The Rashid Khan-led side had made it to the semi-finals in 2024 but will be hoping to cross the hurdle this time.
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