Afghanistan players restricted to three foreign T20 leagues per year
Afghanistan Team (Source: IG/@afghanistancricketboard)
Published - 15 Jan 2026, 06:57 AM• Read time - 2 mins
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has formulated a new policy under which the players will be restricted to participate in only three foreign T20 leagues. The decision was taken at the board's Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Kabul on Wednesday, January 14.
Notably, the ACB is launching its own T20 franchise-based league in October this year. The five-team competition will be played in the UAE and will be exempt from the new restrictive policy. The board, in a statement, mentioned that the new measures have been taken keeping in mind players' mental and physical health.
"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," the ACB stated.
The new policy will have financial repercussions for players such as Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, AM Ghazanfar and some others who are highly sought-after in foreign leagues. As a matter of fact, boards around the world have imposed certain limitations on their players' participation in overseas leagues. For example, the PCB permits its players to take part in only two foreign leagues.
International coaching staff mandated to visit Afghanistan
Another important policy change drawn up at the AGM concerns with the international coaching staff who are now required to visit Afghanistan whenever required. The board stated that they would now be contractually obligated to go to Afghanistan, as and when needed, to help with domestic cricketers' development.
"A new mandate requires all international coaching staff to visit Afghanistan when needed. This clause is now included in contracts to ensure that domestic players can benefit from the expertise and experience of elite coaches, thereby fostering local talent development," the statement added.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan will be clashing with the West Indies in a three-match T20I series in the UAE from January 19 to 22. Subsequently, the team will head out to India for the T20 World Cup 2026.
