St Lucia Kings lose Noor Ahmad for CPL after ACB revokes his NOC
Afghanistan Cricket Board's decision to revoke Noor Ahmad's NOC forces St Lucia Kings to find a replacement mid-tournament.
2 Min Read
St Lucia Kings will be without left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad for the remainder of the CPL 2026 season. The Afghanistan Cricket Board has revoked Ahmad's No Objection Certificate, preventing him from competing in the Caribbean Premier League. Ahmad did not travel to the West Indies, leaving the franchise to seek an immediate replacement mid-tournament.
The Kings moved quickly to address the vacancy. Tim Seifert, the New Zealand opening batter and wicketkeeper, has been signed as Ahmad's replacement and is travelling to Saint Lucia to join the squad.
"Noor will no longer be available to represent the Saint Lucia Kings for the remainder of the tournament. The franchise is disappointed that Noor will be unable to join the team and wishes him all the best. In the meantime, the St Lucia Kings look forward to welcoming Tim Seifert, who is currently on his way to Saint Lucia to join the squad," Kings said in a statement.
Noor Ahmad unavailable after NOC revocation
Ahmad had been a key player for the Kings in recent seasons. He joined the franchise in 2020 but was unable to feature due to visa complications at that time. He returned to the Kings for CPL 2024, appearing in 12 matches and establishing himself as the tournament's most successful bowler with 22 wickets at an economy rate of 6.19. The Kings won the tournament that year.
Tim Seifert joins as replacement
Seifert brings strong recent form to the franchise. He was the second-highest run-getter across the men's Hundred in England in 2026, accumulating 394 runs across ten innings with a strike rate of 168.37. In the Hundred 2026 final, Seifert was named Player of the Match after scoring 72 from 38 balls to help Manchester Super Giants to victory.
Seifert has previous experience in the Caribbean Premier League. He represented Trinbago Knight Riders during the 2020-2022 period before joining St Lucia Kings for the last two seasons. In CPL 2025, Seifert was the Kings' leading run-scorer with 396 runs across ten innings with a strike rate of 169.23. He struck an unbeaten 72 from 53 balls in a league-stage match against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, though the Kings did not reach the final that year.
St Lucia Kings currently sit fourth in the CPL 2026 standings with two wins from five matches. The franchise will look to Seifert to provide batting depth and experience as they push for a stronger finish in the tournament.
Get every cricket updates! Follow Us:
Download Our App