After almost seven seasons without an Afghanistan Premier League, it is confirmed that the Afghanistan Premier League Season 2 will return in 2026, with the United Arab Emirates to host the competition. Still, the dates of the Afghanistan Premier League Season 2 are yet to be confirmed, but it will mostly commence between June 2026 and September 2026.
A total of five franchises participated in the first edition, which took place in 2018. Kabul Zwanan and Balkh Legends were the two teams that played the final of the first edition. Balkh Legends won the match as they chased down their target of 133 in just 18.1 overs. They won the match by four wickets, with Qais Ahmad being the Man of the Match in the final for his great bowling spell of 5/18 in the four overs he bowled.
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Afghanistan Premier League Season 2: Venue and Teams announced
The APL has made a strong comeback as they have a new plan for the Afghanistan Premier League, with the next ten years planned for the league. After not getting the success after the first edition, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has now come up with new ideas for you begin the league. The ACB has a single motive: to achieve stability, identify talent in Afghanistan, and give them a chance on an international level.
The Afghanistan Premier League represents a meaningful step forward in our cricketing journey.
It creates new opportunities for our players, inspires the next generation, and showcases Afghanistan cricket on a global platform. We believe the APL will play an important role in the growth and unity of the game, both at home and abroad.
The United Arab Emirates, just like the last edition, will be the one hosting the Afghanistan Premier League Season 2. It was Dubai, where the new logo was revealed along with Afghanistan and their partners. There are a lot of three venues in the United Arab Emirates that are likely to host the Afghanistan Premier League Season 2. Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, and Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah will be the venues. The confirmation is yet to be out.
There is confirmation regarding the number of teams for the Afghanistan Premier League Season 2, and it is five. The five cities in Afghanistan will be based on the cities. Still, the names are yet to be revealed. Paktia Panthers, Kandahar Knights, Nangarhar Leopards, Balkh Legends, and Kabul Zwanan were the franchises for the previous edition. We will also see stars such as Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmed, and more playing the Afghanistan Premier League Season 2.