Afghanistan Premier League
The Afghanistan Premier League (APL) is a Twenty20 cricket league run by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). It is also known as the Gulbahar Afghanistan Premier League for sponsorship reasons. The league began in 2018 and features five teams named after Afghan regions.
The inaugural edition took place from October 5 to 21, 2018, at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates, with many overseas players taking part. The International Cricket Council (ICC) approved the plans in August 2018, but some boards, like Pakistan and Bangladesh, did not issue no-objection certificates for certain players. Balkh Legends won the first title, beating Kabul Zwanan in the final.
The APL was created after Afghanistan achieved Full Member status with the ICC in 2017. The goal was to help Afghan players reach higher standards, improve the board’s finances, and bring top-level cricket to Afghan fans. Because of security concerns, all matches were played in the UAE.
Five teams competed in the league: Balkh Legends, Kabul Zwanan, Kandahar Knights, Nangarhar Leopards, and Paktia Panthers. The competition attracted big-name international players and helped raise the profile of Afghan cricket.
In 2019, the ACB ended its contract with the league’s commercial partner due to governance and payment issues, and the league was suspended. A legal dispute followed after the ACB terminated a long-term deal with Snixer Sports. The COVID-19 pandemic and Afghanistan’s political changes delayed any restart.
In 2024, the ACB said they planned to relaunch the tournament, and it was officially announced that the league would return in October 2026, with the UAE again likely hosting the matches. The ACB also awarded the season’s global media rights to ITW and Trans Group, with broadcasts in more than ten countries.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 06:55 (CET).