Overview
- This week England's managing director of men's cricket, Rob Key, said it is legally difficult for the board to stop players joining the APL and urged players to make a moral judgment.
- Ollie Pope has removed his name from the APL draft and has been joined by David Willey and Will Smeed in withdrawing from the player list.
- Any English player seeking to play in the APL must have a No-Objection Certificate from the England and Wales Cricket Board, a requirement that has drawn political and public scrutiny given the ECB's ban on bilateral ties with Afghanistan since 2021.
- Former England batter Dawid Malan remains available for the draft and has defended participation on the basis that players follow guidance from boards and the ICC while earning a living.
- The APL's operational outlook is uncertain because organisers still seek full franchise sales and ICC sanction, and national board decisions over NOCs could determine whether the tournament can go ahead in the UAE this December.