New Delhi [India], December 21 (ANI): The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced the launch of a new franchise-based T20 competition, the Afghanistan Premier League. The inaugural season of the tournament is expected to feature five teams and is likely to be held in the UAE around October 2026, as per ESPNcricinfo.

It is worth noting that the ACB had earlier introduced the Afghanistan Premier League in 2018, when only one season of the tournament was conducted. That edition, which also comprised five teams, saw several international stars such as Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and Shahid Afridi take part. However, the league was later shelved following issues related to player payments and concerns over the competition's integrity.

The draft for the new Afghanistan Premier League is expected to take place in June or July 2026.

'The inaugural season will feature five city-based franchises, bringing together Afghanistan's leading national players alongside prominent overseas professionals and emerging local talent,' the ACB said in a press release, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

'The Afghanistan Premier League represents a meaningful step forward in our cricketing journey,' Mirwais Ashraf, the ACB chairman, said.

'It creates new opportunities for our players, inspires the next generation, and allows Afghanistan cricket to be showcased on a global platform. We see the APL as an important contributor to the growth and unity of the game, both domestically and internationally,' he added.

The ACB has partnered with Cricket Venture, a joint venture between Trans Group and ITW Universe.

'Following the launch, organisers will move into the next phase, which includes finalising franchise identities, confirming commercial partners, and progressing the player auction or draft process,' the release said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan will continue to run its domestic T20 tournament, the Shpageeza Cricket League, which features five domestic teams in July-August annually. (ANI)