Top Afghan players such as Rashid Khan can play a maximum of three franchise leagues abroad per year, in addition to mandatory availability for a restarted domestic competition, according to a new policy approved by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).
The decision was taken on Wednesday at the board’s annual general meeting in Kabul “to protect the physical fitness and mental well-being of the players”, the ACB said in a statement. statement.
“This measure aims to manage the workload and ensure optimal performance for national tasks,” the statement added.
All players are expected to be available for the five-team Afghan Premier League, which is scheduled to launch around October 2026 in the United Arab Emirates.
Rashid, a star all-rounder, plays franchise cricket in India, UAE, USA, South Africa and England.
His teammates Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and teenager AM Ghazanfar also play in several leagues across the world.
Similar caps exist elsewhere. Pakistan restricts centrally contracted players to two foreign leagues outside the Pakistan Super League, while India does not allow its centrally contracted men’s players to participate in any overseas league.
