AFGHANISTAN CRICKET BOARD (ACB) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday at its headquarters in Kabul, where it approved a major policy shift aimed at protecting player welfare and strengthening national commitments.
Under the new regulation, Afghan players will be allowed to take part in only three overseas leagues per year, in addition to the Afghanistan Premier League (APL), the board’s own five-team franchise-based T20 competition, which is scheduled to begin in October in the UAE. The policy has been introduced to better manage workload and ensure players remain at their best for international duty.
Explaining the decision, the ACB said, “To protect player fitness and mental well-being, the board approved a new policy regarding foreign leagues. Players will now be permitted to participate in the Afghanistan Premier League (APL), plus only three other international leagues per year. This measure aims to manage workload and ensure peak performance for national duties,” as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
The AGM was chaired by ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf and attended by CEO Naseeb Khan, board member and Kardan University Chancellor Ahmed Khalid Hatim, and board member and ACCI head Khan Jan Alokozay. Board members Allah Dad Noori, Obaidullah Saderkhel, Attila Kamgar and Raees Ahmadzai joined the meeting virtually.
The new rule could have financial implications for several high-profile Afghan cricketers, including Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, all of whom are highly sought after in franchise leagues around the world.
Afghanistan’s next assignment is a three-match T20I series against the West Indies in the UAE, after which the team will travel to India for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
