ACB limits Afghanistan players to three foreign leagues per year

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has approved a new policy that will limit their players to featuring in three international leagues to go with their participation in the board's new five-team franchise-based T20 league, which will get underway around October 2026 in the UAE. This was among the "key policy decisions" that was taken by the board at their annual general meeting in Kabul.

"To protect player fitness and mental well-being, the board approved a new policy regarding foreign leagues," the ACB statement said. "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."

This means that a sought-after T20 player like Rashid Khan could take financial hits. Rashid, who is the highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket, is currently captaining MI Cape Town in the SA20. He is also a key player for MI's other franchises - MI Emirates (ILT20) and MI New York (MLC) - and Gujarat Titans in the IPL.

The move could also affect the likes of Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar and Rahmanullah Gurbaz who are in demand in franchise leagues around the world.

Other boards also impose caps on their players' participation in franchise leagues. The PCB, for instance, limits their players to featuring in just two leagues outside of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Afghanistan's next international assignment is a three-match T20I series against West Indies in the UAE before they travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup.