ECB to Raise Afghanistan Premier League Funding at ICC
The England and Wales Cricket Board will raise concerns over the funding of the proposed Afghanistan Premier League at upcoming International Cricket Council meetings, as questions grow over a tournament that does not yet have ICC sanction.
The league held its first player draft on Tuesday, with England internationals Moeen Ali and Alex Hales among eight English players who secured contracts. The tournament is scheduled to begin in the United Arab Emirates on December 27, but owners have so far been confirmed for only three of the five franchises, and the approval process is still under way.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould said the board was worried the Afghanistan Cricket Board could be using ICC funding to pay for a men’s franchise competition, while other boards have supported the Afghanistan refugee women’s team’s tour of England this year.
Afghanistan Premier League: the funding question
Gould put the concern plainly in an interview with The Cricketer magazine. Afghanistan, he said, relies largely on ICC funding, taking about $14 million a year from the governing body.
“It does concern us because Afghanistan relies largely on ICC funding,” Gould said. “I think they take about $14 million a year from the ICC. It constitutes probably over 80% of their income. We know that they don’t have a domestic TV market. They don’t have the ability to sell tickets.”
“I’m worried that they’re using ICC money to fund the Afghan Premier League when all of the other members are funding Afghan women’s cricket. And that doesn’t seem right to us. So, that is something that we will be working on over the next few weeks.”
The ECB is preparing to question the financial arrangements at ICC meetings scheduled to take place in Indonesia next year. Earlier this year, the ICC set up a new franchise leagues subcommittee, which includes Gould, to review its sanctioning regulations. Those rules cover minimum requirements for staging events, including anti-corruption and anti-doping measures, plus background checks on franchise owners.
A Pakistan connection at the APL draft
Two Pakistan cricket figures are central to the new league’s launch. Waqar Younis is the brand ambassador for Team Paktia, and Azhar Mahmood is the team’s head coach. The pair were photographed with captain Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the APL draft at the Le Meridien Dubai Hotel and Conference Centre in Dubai on November 3.
Their involvement shows how the APL is drawing on established names from across the region, even as its funding and sanction remain unresolved. For Pakistan readers, the league is not a distant story: two of the country’s best-known former players are already on its staff.
England players caught in the middle
The ECB still intends to issue No-Objection Certificates to the eight England players who have signed APL contracts. The decision is partly driven by the risk of legal problems over restraint of trade, since none of the players involved are centrally contracted to the ECB. Refusing them permission to play could expose the board to legal challenges.
Gould described the Afghanistan board’s decision to hold the player draft before securing ICC sanction as putting the ECB in a “difficult position”. He said he preferred to focus on the regulatory process rather than criticise players who had signed up, but confirmed the ECB would speak to the players before the tournament to make sure they understood the implications of taking part.
The women’s team speaks out
Nahida Sapan, captain of the Afghanistan refugee women’s team during their tour of England this summer, has urged overseas cricketers to reconsider their decisions to take part in the league.
Speaking on the BBC’s Stumped podcast, Sapan said foreign players had missed a chance to show solidarity with Afghan women and girls. “I feel really disappointed that foreign players have chosen to take part in this league. Foreign players had a real opportunity to stand with millions of Afghan women and girls by choosing not to participate,” she said.
Pakistan’s own cricket calendar continues meanwhile. Sri Lanka beat the PCB Patrons XI by 142 runs in their warm-up match before the first Test in Rawalpindi on Monday, Pakistan will host Ireland for a one-day series in January 2027, and Pakistan reached the Asian Games cricket final in October. Readers can follow more in Feature Pakistan’s sports section.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ECB concerned about?
The ECB is worried the Afghanistan Cricket Board could be using ICC funding, about $14 million a year and over 80% of its income, to finance the men’s Afghanistan Premier League.
When is the Afghanistan Premier League due to start?
The tournament is scheduled to begin in the United Arab Emirates on December 27. It has not yet received ICC sanction, and owners have been confirmed for only three of the five franchises.
Which England players have signed for the APL?
Moeen Ali and Alex Hales are among eight English players who secured contracts at the draft on November 3. The ECB intends to issue them No-Objection Certificates.
What is the Pakistan connection to the APL?
Waqar Younis is Team Paktia’s brand ambassador and Azhar Mahmood is the team’s head coach. Both attended the draft in Dubai on November 3.
What did the Afghanistan refugee women’s captain say?
Nahida Sapan urged overseas players to reconsider taking part, saying they had missed an opportunity to stand with Afghan women and girls. She stressed her stand was about human rights, not against Afghan men’s cricket.
