From Under-19 cricket to a star-studded squad
Usman Khan Shinwari was born on 5 September 2005. He is a right-handed batter, and he joins Kandahar Warriors for APL 2026-27 as an Emerging pick from the player draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026, for a reported US$10,000.
He came through Afghanistan Under-19 cricket and has played domestic cricket for Speen Ghar Region, Amo Region and Band-e-Amir Region. The Emerging category is reserved for young Afghan players who have not yet established themselves at senior level, and Khan was one of Kandahar’s three Emerging picks, alongside Numan Shah Agha and Naseer Khan Maroofkhil.
The draft that picked him was held at Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre, and it completed all five squads for the revived league’s first season: 90 players were selected from a pool of 462 registered cricketers, across six categories and 18 rounds.
The squad he joins is the most star-studded in the league. Rashid Khan, the Afghan Icon pick, captains the side, and the first pick of the whole draft was Pakistan fast bowler Muhammad Amir. For a 20-year-old batter, that dressing room is the steepest learning curve in Afghan cricket — and the fastest way up it.
Usman Khan in numbers
The season has not started, so there are no APL 2026-27 numbers for Usman Khan yet. The first ball is on Sunday 27 December 2026, and his figures for this season will be added here after Match 1.
His pathway so far is age-group and domestic cricket: Afghanistan Under-19, then Speen Ghar, Amo and Band-e-Amir regions. The APL is his first franchise league, and his first chance to bat in the same XI as the biggest names in the game.
The third Emerging pick
Kandahar’s three Emerging picks — Numan Shah Agha, Usman Khan and Naseer Khan Maroofkhil — are the future of the franchise, and Khan is the batter among them. His job is not to carry the top order; it is to be ready when the top order needs him, and to learn from the players around him while he waits.
That learning curve is steep by design. He will train alongside Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan, face Muhammad Amir and Tymal Mills in the nets, and watch how Kusal Perera and Joe Clarke build an innings. Few 20-year-olds get that kind of schooling in their first franchise season.
The APL T20 season starts on 27 December 2026 in the UAE, and Kandahar play eight league matches. Khan may not play all eight — but Emerging picks who take their one chance are the ones who come back as Silver picks next time.
Frequently asked questions
What is Usman Khan’s role for Kandahar Warriors?
Batter. He bats right-handed and was picked in the Emerging category at the draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026, for a reported US$10,000.
What is Usman Khan’s cricket background?
He came through Afghanistan Under-19 cricket and has played domestic cricket for Speen Ghar Region, Amo Region and Band-e-Amir Region.
Has Usman Khan played in the APL before?
No. APL 2026-27 is his APL debut. The season starts on Sunday 27 December 2026 in the UAE, and the fixture list is still to be announced.