ACB introduces new policy to regulate players’ franchise commitments
Rashid is currently captaining MI Cape Town in the SA20 and represents Mumbai Indians
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has approved a new policy restricting its players to participation in a maximum of three overseas franchise leagues per year, in addition to the board’s own five-team franchise-based T20 competition, scheduled to begin around October 2026 in the UAE.
The decision was among the key policy measures taken during the ACB’s annual general meeting held in Kabul.
“To protect player fitness and mental well-being, the board approved a new policy regarding foreign leagues,” the ACB said in a statement.
“Players will now be permitted to participate in the Afghanistan Premier League (APL), along with only three other international leagues per year. This measure aims to manage workload and ensure peak performance for national duties,” the statement added.
The move could have financial implications for Afghanistan’s high-profile T20 stars, particularly Rashid Khan, the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket.
Rashid is currently captaining MI Cape Town in the SA20 and represents Mumbai Indians’ other franchises, including MI Emirates in the ILT20 and MI New York in Major League Cricket, in addition to playing for Gujarat Titans in the IPL.
Other Afghan players in high demand across global franchise leagues — such as Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar and Rahmanullah Gurbaz — may also be affected by the new restrictions.
Several cricket boards have implemented similar caps to manage player workload.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), for instance, allows its players to feature in only two overseas leagues outside the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s next international assignment is a three-match T20I series against the West Indies in the UAE, followed by their participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India.
Afghanistan have been placed in Group D alongside New Zealand, South Africa, UAE and Canada.
They will open their World Cup campaign against the Blackcaps on February 8 in Chennai.
Afghanistan squad for West Indies T20I series and T20 World Cup 2026:
Rashid Khan (c), Ibrahim Zadran (vc), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Shahidullah Kamal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Abdullah Ahmadzai.
Reserves: AM Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.
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