Pick Order confirmed for 2026 Afghanistan Premier League T20 Player Draft following inaugural APL huddle

Dubai, UAE – The pick order for the 2026 Afghanistan Premier League (APL) T20 Player Draft has been confirmed following the first-ever APL Huddle, a new pre-Draft event in which the leadership groups of all five franchises competed head-to-head for their draft positions.

The think tank of each franchise, comprising its Captain, Head Coach, Ambassadors and Ownership, took part in five games designed to test the cricketing knowledge and skill of every camp. Each game was tied to one of the Draft’s five player categories: Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver and Emerging.

A franchise’s finishing position in each game determined its pick position in the first round of the corresponding category. The order for the remaining rounds of each category was then set by a randomised draw, structured to give the other franchises a near-equal chance of securing an early pick.

Kandahar Warriors won both the Platinum and Diamond games and will make the first selection of the Draft. Akcel Kabul United topped the Gold game, while Nangarhar Cosmic won both the Silver and Emerging games, earning the first pick in the opening round of each of those categories. Team Balkh will make the second pick of the Draft, and Team Paktia holds the second pick in the opening rounds of both the Gold and Emerging categories.

The APL Huddle is the latest in a series of novel formats being introduced by the APL as the league aims to be at the cutting edge of how T20 franchise cricket is delivered. It follows the APL Leadership Draft, held last week, which marked the first step in that approach.

Full Draft Pick Order

The Draft will run over 18 rounds, with 90 picks in total.

Platinum

Round 1: 1st Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 2nd Pick – Team Balkh | 3rd Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic | 4th Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 5th Pick – Team Paktia

Diamond

Round 2: 1st Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 2nd Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 3rd Pick – Team Balkh | 4th Pick – Team Paktia | 5th Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic

Round 3: 1st Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic | 2nd Pick – Team Paktia | 3rd Pick – Team Balkh | 4th Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 5th Pick – Kandahar Warriors

Gold

Round 4: 1st Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 2nd Pick – Team Paktia | 3rd Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 4th Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic | 5th Pick – Team Balkh

Round 5: 1st Pick – Team Balkh | 2nd Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic | 3rd Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 4th Pick – Team Paktia | 5th Pick – Akcel Kabul United

Round 6: 1st Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic | 2nd Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 3rd Pick – Team Balkh | 4th Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 5th Pick – Team Paktia

Round 7: 1st Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 2nd Pick – Team Paktia | 3rd Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 4th Pick – Team Balkh | 5th Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic

Round 8: 1st Pick – Team Paktia | 2nd Pick – Team Balkh | 3rd Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic | 4th Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 5th Pick – Akcel Kabul United

Silver

Round 9: 1st Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic | 2nd Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 3rd Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 4th Pick – Team Paktia | 5th Pick – Team Balkh

Round 10: 1st Pick – Team Balkh | 2nd Pick – Team Paktia | 3rd Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 4th Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 5th Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic

Round 11: 1st Pick – Team Paktia | 2nd Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 3rd Pick – Team Balkh | 4th Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic | 5th Pick – Akcel Kabul United

Round 12: 1st Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 2nd Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 3rd Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic | 4th Pick – Team Balkh | 5th Pick – Team Paktia

Round 13: 1st Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 2nd Pick – Team Balkh | 3rd Pick – Team Paktia | 4th Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 5th Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic

Emerging

Round 14: 1st Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic | 2nd Pick – Team Paktia | 3rd Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 4th Pick – Team Balkh | 5th Pick – Akcel Kabul United

Round 15: 1st Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 2nd Pick – Team Balkh | 3rd Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 4th Pick – Team Paktia | 5th Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic

Round 16: 1st Pick – Team Balkh | 2nd Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 3rd Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 4th Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic| 5th Pick – Team Paktia

Supplementary

Round 17: 1st Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 2nd Pick – Team Paktia | 3rd Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic | 4th Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 5th Pick – Team Balkh

Round 18: 1st Pick – Team Paktia | 2nd Pick – Akcel Kabul United | 3rd Pick – Team Balkh | 4th Pick – Kandahar Warriors | 5th Pick – Nangarhar Cosmic

The two Supplementary rounds follow the Emerging category order determined at the APL Huddle.

The APL is owned by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and operated in partnership with Cricket Ventures. Further details on the APL T20 Player Draft, including how fans can follow the selections, will be announced in due course.