Afghanistan Bans Naveen-Ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman From Playing Franchise Cricket for 2 years

Why this Ban?

The board has taken action against the trio for ‘prioritizing personal interests over playing for Afghanistan’. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has banned three Afghan players, Naveen Ul Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Fazalhaq Farooqi, from participating in franchise cricket tournaments for two years. The ACB's decision was based on the players' neglect of their national duties in favor of playing in franchise cricket leagues around the world. The ACB has also delayed the players' central contracts for 2024 and revoked their No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the next two years. This decision could have serious ramifications for franchise cricket around the world, as other cricket boards may follow suit and restrict their players from participating in franchise cricket tournaments.

Afghanistan Cricket Board Statement -

“The insistence on not signing the central contract for these players was their involvement in commercial leagues, prioritizing their personal interests over playing for Afghanistan, which is regarded as a national responsibility. By opting for their release, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to take disciplinary measures against these players,” said ACB in a media release.

"In response, the ACB assigned a dedicated committee to thoroughly investigate the matter, develop appropriate recommendations that best serve the ACB’s interests, and share them with the ACB’s top management. A committee member stated: ‘The three players formally communicated their decision to the ACB, expressing their desire to release themselves from the annual central contract, starting from 1st January 2024, as well as requested to consider their consent for their participation in the national events."

They came out with three suggestions -

1. Not Awarding Central Contracts
2. Delay Granting No Objection Certificates (NOCs)

“The decision by the Afghanistan Cricket Board is made with a focus on national priorities, aligned with the ACB’s core values and principles. It highlights the necessity for every player to maintain the ACB’s principles and prioritize the country’s interests above their personal ones,” the statement further added.

IPL Teams Might get affected -

The Afghanistan Cricket Board's recent ban on three players will have an impact on franchise cricket worldwide, including the profitable Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament. Each of the banned players represents a different IPL team and is a critical team member. Lucknow Super Giants and Sunrisers Hyderabad retained Naveen Ul Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi, respectively, while Kolkata Knight Riders purchased Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the 2024 IPL auctions at a staggering price of INR 2 crores.