The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed it will grant No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to English players for the upcoming Afghanistan Premier League (APL) T20. The decision allows players to participate in the franchise tournament despite the board’s continued refusal to engage in bilateral international series with the Afghanistan men’s team.
The league is scheduled to begin on December 27, 2026, with the first season hosted in the United Arab Emirates. While the APL player draft was originally planned for late September, it has been moved to October 24, 2026, following an extension of the player registration window to October 5.
The participation of English cricketers has drawn criticism from UK lawmakers and human rights organizations. Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi and various advocacy groups have called on players to reconsider their involvement, citing the Taliban’s treatment of women as “gender apartheid.”
Richard Thompson, the ECB chair, addressed the board’s position on the matter. “We strongly condemn the appalling oppression of women and girls in Afghanistan. We call for a coordinated international response by the cricketing community rather than a unilateral boycott,” Thompson stated.
Several centrally contracted players, including Test vice-captain Ollie Pope and pace bowler Luke Wood, have registered for the draft. Their ability to play remains subject to the formal NOC process and the tournament receiving official sanctioning from the International Cricket Council (ICC). Other players expected to be available for the draft include Moeen Ali, James Vince, Jason Roy, Reece Topley, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, and Laurie Evans.
Analysis: Policy Distinction
The ECB’s stance indicates a policy that separates government-level diplomacy from individual labor rights. By permitting NOCs while maintaining a bilateral boycott, the board appears to be avoiding the legal or industrial friction associated with restricting players from independent global leagues, a tension previously seen during the 2022 season. However, the potential for the league to move matches to Kabul in future seasons may present further security and policy challenges for the board.
As the December start date approaches, it remains unconfirmed if other major governing bodies, such as Cricket Australia or New Zealand Cricket, will adopt similar protocols for their players regarding the revived league.
