Emirates Cricket Board Approves Inaugural Afghanistan Premier League After Talks With PCB

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has given its approval of hosting maiden Afghanistan Premier League (APL) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October, this year.

Well, the decision was taken just a day after ECB had talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regarding negotiation of the home series of Pakistan which is being held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

A statement released by the ECB informed the world cricket governing body International Cricket Council (ICC) that they have approved the Afghanistan League.

Moreover, it is slated to be held in the fourth quarter of a year. It will be a massive tournament for the people of Afghanistan. Well, given the fact the management will launch the tournament this year.

The inaugural edition of the APL will comprise of five teams. The competition will be played over a period of 17 days. Apart from that, the tournament is slated to start from the fifth of October.

The mega finale will be played on 23^rd October. It will include both Afghanistan and foreign players. However, the APL hasn’t been sanctioned by ICC yet. The tournament was launched earlier in the year in January.

Twenty-first century Media will be the executive partner

Twenty-first Century Media will be the executing partner of the tournament. During ECB’s discussion with PCB, it was learnt that Pakistan will continue hosting their home matches at their second-adopted home.

However, UAE is expected to cut short the cost of PCB for holding the tournament with immediate effect.

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Meanwhile, it was also learnt that ECB won’t allow any other team to host the matches of their T20 leagues when Pakistan is playing a series there.

Pakistan is slated to host Australia for a full series in October. Simultaneously, the APL is also taking place in the same month. The PCB has feared the fact that the T20 League being stage on the same month will affect the commercial interest of the series.

The main concern for PCB:

It was learnt from a top PCB official revealing the main concern of the board. It has been about no APL matches should be held on the dates when Pakistan plays an ODI or a T20I competition.

But, they don’t have a problem if the date clashes with Pakistan’s Test matches. Pakistan has also made it clear that it won’t allow it’s centrally contracted players to take part in the tournament.

It has been since 2010 that Pakistan has been hosting their home series in the UAE after being in talks with the Emirates Cricket Board.

Following the 2009 gruesome attack on the Sri Lankan team bus, no top team has travelled to Pakistan.

However, a World XI team was sent to Pakistan last year for a three-match T20I series.

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