Uzairullah Niazai — Batter
Uzairullah Niazai, the 19-year-old who hit an unbeaten 101 against India in the Under-19 World Cup semi-final, is Akcel United Kabul’s Emerging pick for APL 2026-27.
Niazai was one of the young Afghan names every franchise had circled before the draft, and the reason is a single innings: 101 not out against India in the Under-19 World Cup semi-final in Harare. It is the hardest stage in age-group cricket — a semi-final, against India, with a final on the line — and a 19-year-old won it unbeaten. He finished that World Cup with 193 runs at an average of 64.33.
The semi-final was not a one-off. His highest Youth ODI score is 140 not out against Bangladesh Under-19 in Bogra, and he is a batter who scores in the games that matter rather than padding numbers in the ones that don’t. Born in Laghman on 17 April 2007, he bats right-handed and bowls right-arm offbreak, and the squad table lists him as a batter — a batting all-rounder in the making, rather than a bowler who bats.
Kabul took him in the Emerging category at the player draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026, for a reported US$10,000. He has no senior international cricket yet — no Test, ODI or T20I — and APL 2026-27 is his debut season in the league, and his first time batting against senior international bowlers. It is the biggest jump of his career, and the most watched.
APL 2026-27 in numbers
The season has not started yet, so Uzairullah Niazai has no APL 2026-27 numbers at all. The first ball is on Sunday 27 December 2026 at 5:30 PM Afghanistan time (5:00 PM Dubai time) in the UAE, and this page will carry his season figures from Match 1 onwards. Until then, the table below is honest: played 0, and everything else to be announced.
| Matches | Runs | Wickets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| APL 2026-27 | 0 | — | — |
What he brings into the season, in verified figures:
| Career mark | Figure |
|---|---|
| U19 World Cup semi-final | 101* vs India Under-19, Harare |
| U19 World Cup 2026 | 193 runs at 64.33 |
| Highest Youth ODI score | 140* vs Bangladesh Under-19, Bogra |
| Senior international | None yet |
Season figures are to be announced — the season starts on 27 December 2026. Career figures are from the verified player record.
Where he fits at Akcel United Kabul
Uzairullah Niazai plays for Akcel United Kabul in APL 2026-27, captained by Azmatullah Omarzai and coached by Shane McDermott, with Nikhil Chopra as mentor. The squad of nineteen was set at the draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026 — 90 players picked from 462 across 18 rounds.
Niazai is the youngest batter in the squad, and the one Kabul’s fans will watch closest. He will bat in the middle order, where the game is fastest and the bowlers are senior internationals — and if the World Cup semi-final was any guide, the occasion will not frighten him. The season starts on Sunday 27 December 2026 in the UAE; Afghanistan Premier League will follow every Kabul match, with fixtures on the APL Schedule and the standings on the APL Points Table. The full squad is on the APL Players page.
Five teams chase four playoff places in a double round-robin, so every team plays eight league matches — each opponent twice — and one side goes home after the league stage. The final is on Wednesday 20 January 2027. Kabul are a new club with no APL record yet, and that is the point: everything this squad does in 2026-27 will be a first.
Frequently asked questions
What is Uzairullah Niazai’s role at Akcel United Kabul?
Batter. The right-hand batter was an Emerging pick at the 3 November 2026 draft and bats in Kabul’s middle order.
What did Uzairullah Niazai do at the Under-19 World Cup?
He hit an unbeaten 101 against India in the semi-final in Harare, finishing the tournament with 193 runs at an average of 64.33.
Has Uzairullah Niazai played senior international cricket?
Not yet. He has no Test, ODI or T20I cap, and APL 2026-27 is his debut season in the league — his first senior franchise stage.