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.
Kandahar Knights finished fifth and last in the only APL season played so far. They won two of eight league matches at Sharjah in October 2018 and did not reach the semi-finals. Asghar Afghan captained the side.
The published league table gives the Knights two wins, six defeats, four points and a net run rate of −0.226. Their wins came on 13 October, by 26 runs over Nangarhar Leopards, and on 17 October, by four wickets over Paktia Panthers. Nothing else went their way, but several defeats were close: they lost to Kabul Zwanan by two runs on 11 October and to Paktia Panthers by nine runs the next day.
The Knights' season is best read through the scores below, which are now published in full on this page. Two wins, six defeats, and no semi-final is the whole confirmed story — and it is enough to place them: fifth of five, behind a semi-final cut they never threatened. Kandahar Warriors, the 2026 franchise from the same city, do not inherit the Knights' wins or their defeats.
All 8 matches below were played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in October 2018.
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Oct 2018 | Kandahar Knights 139/9 (20) v Nangarhar Leopards 142/4 (18.3) | Nangarhar Leopards won by 6 wickets |
| 7 Oct 2018 | Balkh Legends 165/5 (20) v Kandahar Knights 152/7 (20) | Balkh Legends won by 13 runs |
| 11 Oct 2018 | Kabul Zwanan 173/6 (20) v Kandahar Knights 171/7 (20) | Kabul Zwanan won by 2 runs |
| 12 Oct 2018 | Paktia Panthers 127 (18.2) v Kandahar Knights 118 (19.4) | Paktia Panthers won by 9 runs |
| 13 Oct 2018 | Kandahar Knights 136/8 (20) v Nangarhar Leopards 110 (19.3) | Kandahar Knights won by 26 runs |
| 16 Oct 2018 | Kandahar Knights 152/5 (20) v Kabul Zwanan 153/6 (19.1) | Kabul Zwanan won by 4 wickets |
| 17 Oct 2018 | Paktia Panthers 167/7 (20) v Kandahar Knights 168/6 (20) | Kandahar Knights won by 4 wickets |
| 18 Oct 2018 | Kandahar Knights 141/9 (20) v Balkh Legends 142/4 (17.5) | Balkh Legends won by 6 wickets |
Only one Knight has a checked APL line on this page: captain Asghar Afghan. The two wins were team results rather than individual landmarks, and no Knight features on the tournament's batting or bowling lists — which is itself the honest summary of a last-placed season.
| Player | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Asghar Afghan | Batter | Kandahar Knights captain |
None. Every match was played in Sharjah in October 2018.
Five city teams, a December start in the UAE, and one finished season back in 2018. The rest is still being written.
Ninety players, 18 rounds, six categories. Kandahar Warriors opened with Muhammad Amir; Nangarhar Cosmic opened Silver and Emerging.
Rashid has Amir and Nabi. Zadran has Moeen. Gurbaz has Hasaranga and Noor. A team-by-team read of the official lists.
The checked 2018 names are listed above.
No. The city is shared. The franchise, the badge and the results are not. Titles stay with the club that won them.
Sharjah Cricket Stadium, which hosted the whole 2018 season.
Last updated 3 November 2026, 15:40 GST