Photo via BBC Sport

Pope pulls out of controversial Afghanistan T20 league

England batter Ollie Pope has withdrawn from the draft for the Afghanistan Premier League (APL), the inaugural T20 tournament set to take place in the United Arab Emirates later this year. As the only centrally contracted England player initially linked to the competition, Pope’s decision follows England Cricket Director Rob Key’s public stance against participating in the league, which has drawn criticism over Afghanistan’s treatment of women and girls under Taliban rule.

Key acknowledged the legal complexities of restricting players from competing abroad but emphasized the moral considerations involved, stating he would not personally take part. Despite not playing international cricket since the third Ashes Test in Australia last December, Pope was recently awarded a new 12-month England contract and has served as stand-in captain on multiple occasions, including during the 2025 Champions Trophy match against India at The Oval.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has also refused to schedule bilateral fixtures with Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, with ECB Chair Richard Thompson previously describing the regime’s policies as ‘gender apartheid.’

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