England players to get NOCs for Afghanistan Premier League T20

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will grant No-Objection Certificates to English players who wish to feature in the new Afghanistan Premier League T20 (APL), provided the tournament receives ICC sanction.

The league is due to launch on December 27 and will be staged in the UAE in its first season, run by the Afghanistan Cricket Board alongside promoters Trans Group and ITW Universe.

As reported by Cricinfo, the Professional Cricketers' Association had been unclear on whether NOCs would be issued given the ECB's existing position on Afghanistan, but it has been confirmed that the APL will be treated in the same way as any other overseas franchise competition. The ECB's position is that its decision not to arrange bilateral series against Afghanistan, because Afghanistan does not have a women's team, is a separate matter from the availability of English players for franchise tournaments abroad.

Which England players have registered for the APL?

The APL has announced registrations from several English players ahead of its draft, which was postponed from September 27 to October 24. Among those registered are Ollie Pope and Luke Wood, both of whom hold ECB central contracts for 2025-26, making their participation subject to the NOC process.

Other English players registered include James Vince, Moeen Ali, Jason Roy, Reece Topley, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Laurie Evans. The league's marketing material indicates an intention to eventually host matches at the Kabul International Cricket Stadium, though the first season will be held in the UAE.

The ECB faced significant backlash from players two years ago when it attempted to tighten its NOC policy for franchise leagues, particularly those overlapping with the English domestic season. The APL's December window does not conflict with the English summer schedule.

What is the broader context around England, the ECB and Afghanistan cricket?

Afghanistan players have featured regularly in English domestic cricket in recent seasons. Noor Ahmad represented Manchester Super Giants and Rashid Khan played for MI London in the Hundred this year, while Fazalhaq Farooqi appeared for Glamorgan in the T20 Blast. The figure of 27 Afghanistan-linked appearances across English domestic competitions in recent seasons reflects the growing presence of Afghan talent in the county and franchise circuit.

The ECB is also part of a dedicated ICC taskforce focused on supporting displaced Afghan women's cricketers. The ICC reconstituted that taskforce earlier this year and gave it responsibility to develop a roadmap for the Afghan refugee women's team to participate in ICC qualification pathways by 2030. The Afghan refugee women's team toured England this year as part of those broader efforts.

The APL's NOC decision means English players can now plan for the December tournament with clarity, subject to the league securing the required ICC sanction before the draft on October 24.