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Afghanistan Cricket Board announces new T20 league; set to launch in October 2026

Kaushik Kashyap

ACB announces new T20 league. [Source - AFP]ACB announces new T20 league. [Source - AFP]

In a significant development, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced the launch of a new franchise-based T20 competition, the Afghanistan Premier League, marking a major step in the nation’s cricketing journey.

The first edition of the Afghanistan Premier League T20 (APLT20) is scheduled for October 2026, with the UAE set to host the tournament in the latter half of the year.

New T20 league marks next step in Afghanistan’s epic eise

Afghanistan cricket has been on the rise over the past decade, with its growth in white-ball formats standing out as one of the game’s most remarkable stories. From associate beginnings to global contenders, Afghanistan’s progress has been both rapid and consistent.

That growth was most evident at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where Afghanistan reached the semi-finals for the first time in any ICC senior event. The historic campaign served as a strong testament to the depth, belief and quality we can see within Afghan cricket.

Building on this momentum, the ACB has opted to reintroduce the Afghanistan Premier League in a revamped and restructured format. The tournament was originally launched in 2018 but ran for just one season, making the upcoming edition a fresh attempt.

International stars and youth to share spotlight

The league will feature five city-based franchises, with a player draft or auction expected around June-July 2026. Afghanistan’s domestic T20 competition, the Shpageeza Cricket League, which also comprises five teams, will continue to serve as the primary talent factory and will be played during the July-August domestic window.

ACB aims to bring together Afghanistan’s leading international stars, overseas players and emerging domestic talents on one platform. The board views the tournament as another progressive step in a cricketing journey that has already delivered notable success in recent years.

Having said that, the ACB has partnered with Cricket Ventures, a joint venture between Trans Group and ITW Universe to make this league into a reality. The next phase will focus on finalising franchise names and securing commercial partners to advance the draft or auction process.