England Cricketers Cleared for Afghanistan Premier League T20

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-10-01

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will issue No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for English cricketers to play in the new Afghanistan Premier League (APL) T20 tournament. The five-team event kicks off on December 27, 2026, in the United Arab Emirates. Once the International Cricket Council (ICC) gives official sanction, the ECB will allow individual players to join. This move might surprise you, given the ECB's firm stance against bilateral series with Afghanistan. But the board draws a clear line: it separates player availability for overseas franchise competitions from its position on direct international matches. So top English players can participate, while the ECB continues to boycott two-nation series due to the Taliban's restrictions on women. ### ECB Confirms Clearance Policy for New Franchise Tournament The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) runs the league alongside commercial promoters Trans Group and ITW Universe. The inaugural season will feature five teams in the UAE, with long-term plans to hold future matches at Kabul International Cricket Stadium. The Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) had asked for official guidance on NOCs, since the ECB doesn't schedule bilateral series against Afghanistan. The ECB said it would treat the APL like any other overseas franchise event. The December window doesn't clash with the English domestic summer season, so there's no fixture conflict. Two years ago, English players fought an ECB move to tighten NOC rules for summer leagues that clash. This time, the timing avoids any administrative headaches. ### High-Profile English Cricketers Register for Player Draft The APL player draft was postponed from September 27 to October 24, 2026. Several leading English cricketers have already signed up. Batsman Ollie Pope and fast bowler Luke Wood, both on ECB central contracts for 2025-26, are among them. Their contracts require formal ECB NOC approval before they can compete. Other big English names in the draft include Moeen Ali, Jason Roy, Reece Topley, James Vince, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, and Laurie Evans. International players like Scotland's Brandon McMullen and Ireland's Jai Moondra have also entered the pool. > "The ECB will grant players NOCs to feature in the new Afghanistan Premier League T20 despite its reluctance to play bilateral series against Afghanistan." ### Division Between International Matches and Franchise Leagues The ECB remains firmly opposed to private franchise leagues and formal bilateral agreements. It refuses to schedule a direct two-nation series against Afghanistan because of the Taliban government's ban on women and girls playing cricket. But the policy leaves it to each player to decide whether to play for a franchise. England last met Afghanistan in the 2025 Champions Trophy in Lahore, Pakistan. Afghanistan won by eight runs, knocking England out. Before that game, 200 Members of Parliament signed a cross-party letter urging the ECB to boycott the fixture. Demonstrators also gathered outside Lord's Cricket Ground in London. Richard Thompson, head of the ECB, called the "appalling oppression" of women in Afghanistan "gender apartheid." He called for a global coordinated response from international cricket authorities, not a one-nation boycott. So, what does this mean for the players? They can now compete in the APL without political backlash, as long as they get the NOC. The ECB's decision balances its ethical stance with giving players the freedom to play in franchise leagues. It's a delicate line, but one that keeps English cricket involved in global T20 competitions. For more cricket news and updates, stay tuned.