Overview
- The board adopted the restriction at its Annual General Meeting in Kabul attended by chairman Mirwais Ashraf, CEO Naseeb Khan and other members in person and via video link.
- Afghan internationals are limited to playing the Afghanistan Premier League plus only three other franchise leagues each year, a move framed as safeguarding fitness and mental well-being.
- All players must be available for a five-team Afghanistan Premier League slated for October 2026 in the United Arab Emirates.
- The cap affects high-profile T20 names such as Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and AM Ghazanfar, forcing tighter choices across leagues including the IPL, SA20, ILT20 and MLC as the team readies for a T20I series against West Indies and the 2026 World Cup.
- A reported clause requires foreign coaches to travel to Afghanistan when needed to support domestic player development, while similar league limits exist in Pakistan and India’s contracted players face stricter bars on overseas play.