The five teams
Akcel United KabulCaptain: Azmatullah Omarzai · Coach: Shane McDermott
The Kabul side, led by Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai.
Balkh ZwananCaptain: Ibrahim Zadran · Coach: Mickey Arthur
Led by opener Ibrahim Zadran, with Mickey Arthur as coach.
Kandahar WarriorsCaptain: Rashid Khan · Coach: Ravi Bopara · First Platinum pick: Muhammad Amir
Rashid Khan captains the Kandahar side, and Muhammad Amir was the first Platinum pick of the draft.
Nangarhar CosmicCaptain: Rahmat Shah · Coach: Toby Radford
Rahmat Shah leads the Nangarhar side, coached by Toby Radford.
PaktiaCaptain: Rahmanullah Gurbaz · Coach: Azhar Mahmood
Rahmanullah Gurbaz captains Paktia, with Azhar Mahmood as coach.
Captains and coaches verified against the APL teams file. Full squads are on each team’s page — tap a team name above.
The draft — 3 November 2026, Dubai
Each squad has 19 players, picked at the draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026 — 90 players in 18 rounds, plus the five Afghan Icon captains, one per team. The five captains are also the Icon players: Azmatullah Omarzai, Ibrahim Zadran, Rashid Khan, Rahmat Shah and Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
The first Platinum pick of the draft was Muhammad Amir, taken by Kandahar Warriors. The full squads are listed on the individual team pages; the captains, coaches and draft facts for all five teams are listed above.
What each team plays for
A win is worth 2 points, and with five teams chasing four playoff places, one side goes home after the league stage. Every team plays eight league matches — each opponent twice — for 20 league matches in all, then three playoffs and the final on Wednesday 20 January 2027. The trophy for 2026-27 is reported as the Koh-E-Zafar. The full fixture list is on the APL Schedule page once the ACB publishes it, and the standings, once play starts, are on the APL Points Table page.
The last APL season — 2018
The only completed APL season so far was played in Sharjah from 5 to 21 October 2018. Balkh Legends won the final, beating Kabul Zwanan by 4 wickets (Kabul Zwanan 132/9, Balkh Legends 138/6). The 2026-27 clubs are new — they do not inherit the 2018 titles, and Balkh Zwanan is not the same side as the 2018 champions Balkh Legends.
Frequently asked questions
How many teams play in the APL?
Five teams: Akcel United Kabul, Balkh Zwanan, Kandahar Warriors, Nangarhar Cosmic and Paktia. Each team plays 8 league matches.
Who are the APL captains?
Azmatullah Omarzai (Kabul), Ibrahim Zadran (Balkh Zwanan), Rashid Khan (Kandahar Warriors), Rahmat Shah (Nangarhar Cosmic) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Paktia). The five captains are also the Afghan Icon players.
How big are the APL squads?
Nineteen players per team — 90 picked at the draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026, plus the five Icon captains.
Where are the full squads for each APL team?
On the individual team pages — tap any team name above for its full 19-man squad, captain, coach and season outlook.
More APL coverage
- APL Schedule — Fixtures, dates and format.
- APL Points Table — Standings and the playoff race.
- APL Results — Every result, once the season starts.
- APL Live Scores — The next match and live updates.
- APL Stats — Top scorers, wicket takers and records.
- APL Tickets — Availability and official channels.
- APL — the season in full: schedule, teams, points table and where to watch.