Afghan Icon
Balkh Zwanan Squad 2026
Ibrahim Zadran (Icon) leads. Drafted Moeen Ali, AM Ghazanfar, Gulbadin Naib and Qais Ahmad. Coach Mickey Arthur.
Balkh Zwanan carries the Balkh name into the 2026–27 Afghanistan Premier League. Draft releases sometimes shorten it to Team Balkh. Ibrahim Zadran, the national opener, is captain. Mickey Arthur is head coach. Tillakaratne Dilshan is mentor. That leadership group was set at the leaders' draft, then left in place when two other captaincies were swapped on 3 November 2026.
The name invites a lazy comparison with Balkh Legends, the 2018 champions. Resist it. Balkh Legends won the only completed APL, beating Kabul Zwanan by four wickets in Sharjah, with Mohammad Nabi as captain and Chris Gayle in the side. Balkh Zwanan has not played a match. It does not inherit that title, that squad, or that net run rate.
Quick Facts
- City
- Balkh
- Captain
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Head coach
- Mickey Arthur
- Mentor
- Tillakaratne Dilshan
- Debut season
- 2026–27
- Titles
- None yet
- Home ground
- UAE venue to be confirmed
- Owner
- Not formally announced
- Squad size
- 19 players
Balkh Zwanan key players 2026
Balkh Zwanan full squad 2026
| # | Player | Draft category | Overseas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ibrahim Zadran | Afghan Icon | — |
| 2 | Moeen Ali | Platinum | England |
| 3 | Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar | Diamond | — |
| 4 | Luke Wood | Diamond | England |
| 5 | Gulbadin Naib | Gold | — |
| 6 | Sediqullah Atal | Gold | — |
| 7 | Muhammad Waseem | Gold | UAE |
| 8 | Afsar Khan Zazai | Gold | — |
| 9 | Abdullah Ahmadzai | Gold (Wildcard) | — |
| 10 | Thomas Moores | Silver | England |
| 11 | Zia ur Rehman Akbar | Silver | — |
| 12 | Abdullah Tarakhail | Silver | — |
| 13 | Colin Ackermann | Silver | Netherlands |
| 14 | Mohammad Waqar Salamkheil | Silver | — |
| 15 | Salaam Khan Ahmadzai | Emerging | — |
| 16 | Azizullah Miakhil | Emerging | — |
| 17 | Abdul Aziz Khan | Emerging | — |
| 18 | Qais Ahmad | Supplementary | — |
| 19 | Christopher Wood | Supplementary | — |
Balkh Zwanan overseas signings 2026
Moeen Ali (England), Luke Wood (England), Muhammad Waseem (UAE), Thomas Moores (England), Colin Ackermann (Netherlands).
Balkh Zwanan Fixtures 2026
Balkh Zwanan record
Played 0, won 0. Balkh Zwanan is a new franchise and starts the 2026 season with no APL record. The 2018 side from Balkh was a different club; its results stay with that club.
At the 3 November 2026 draft, Team Balkh used the second pick of the Platinum round on England all-rounder Moeen Ali. They followed with AM Ghazanfar and Luke Wood in Diamond, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal and UAE captain Muhammad Waseem in Gold, used their Wildcard on Abdullah Ahmadzai, and added Qais Ahmad, the 2018 player of the final, in the Supplementary round.
The first ball of the season is listed by the official APL site as 27 December 2026, 5:00 PM Dubai time (5:30 PM Afghanistan time). Balkh's opponent that evening has not been published. Neither has the ground.
Balkh Zwanan coaching staff 2026
- Head coach
- Mickey Arthur
- Mentor
- Tillakaratne Dilshan
- Captain (Afghan Icon)
- Ibrahim Zadran
Balkh Zwanan latest news
What Is the Afghanistan Premier League? APL Explained
Five city teams, a December start in the UAE, and one finished season back in 2018. The rest is still being written.
APL 2026 Teams: Five Franchises, Captains & Coaches
Same cities as 2018, different clubs. Here is who actually leads each 2026 side.
APL 2026 Draft Results: Amir First Pick, 90 Players Picked
Ninety players, 18 rounds, six categories. Kandahar Warriors opened with Muhammad Amir; Nangarhar Cosmic opened Silver and Emerging.
Frequently asked questions
Who is in the Balkh Zwanan squad?
19 players, led by Ibrahim Zadran. Headline picks: Moeen Ali (England), Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Luke Wood (England). Source: ACB draft release, 3 November 2026.
Is Balkh Zwanan the same club as the 2018 side from Balkh?
No. The city is shared. The franchise, the badge and the results are not. Titles stay with the club that won them.
Where do they play?
In the UAE at ICC-approved venues. Specific grounds had not been announced as of 4 November 2026.
Last updated 3 November 2026, 15:00 GST