Afghan Icon
2026 franchise
Paktia Squad 2026
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Icon) leads. Drafted Wanindu Hasaranga, Noor Ahmad, Nahid Rana and Colin Munro. Coach Azhar Mahmood.
Paktia is the fifth 2026 franchise, and the one whose public name is still the plainest. Draft releases call it Team Paktia. No separate commercial nickname has been confirmed on the sources checked for this page. Until one is, the site uses Paktia.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz is captain, Azhar Mahmood is head coach, and Waqar Younis is mentor. Gurbaz's move from the Nangarhar captaincy was announced by the ACB on 3 November 2026, the day of the player draft. Coach and mentor stayed with the franchise in the reporting around that switch. If a later release moves the staff, this page will move with it.
Quick Facts
- City
- Paktia
- Captain
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Head coach
- Azhar Mahmood
- Mentor
- Waqar Younis
- Debut season
- 2026–27
- Titles
- None yet
- Home ground
- UAE venue to be confirmed
- Owner
- Not formally announced
- Squad size
- 19 players
Paktia key players 2026
Paktia full squad 2026
| # | Player | Draft category | Overseas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Afghan Icon | — |
| 2 | Wanindu Hasaranga | Platinum | Sri Lanka |
| 3 | Noor Ahmad Lakanwal | Diamond | — |
| 4 | Nahid Rana | Diamond | Bangladesh |
| 5 | Ijaz Ahmadzai | Gold | — |
| 6 | Farmanullah Safi | Gold | — |
| 7 | Colin Munro | Gold | New Zealand |
| 8 | David Wiese | Gold | Namibia |
| 9 | Hashmatullah Shahidi | Gold | — |
| 10 | Hasibullah Lakanwal | Silver | — |
| 11 | Nangeyalia Khan | Silver | — |
| 12 | Gerhard Erasmus | Silver | Namibia |
| 13 | Olly Stone | Silver | England |
| 14 | Masoodulrahman Gurbaz | Silver | — |
| 15 | Abid Mohammadi | Emerging | — |
| 16 | Khalid Taniwal | Emerging | — |
| 17 | Wahidullah Zadran | Emerging | — |
| 18 | Sediqullah Pacha | Supplementary | — |
| 19 | Khalil Ahmad Gurbaz | Supplementary | — |
Paktia overseas signings 2026
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Nahid Rana (Bangladesh), Colin Munro (New Zealand), David Wiese (Namibia), Gerhard Erasmus (Namibia), Olly Stone (England).
Paktia Fixtures 2026
Paktia record
Played 0, won 0. Paktia is a new franchise and starts the 2026 season with no APL record. The 2018 side from Paktia was a different club; its results stay with that club.
At the 3 November 2026 draft Paktia picked last in Platinum and took Wanindu Hasaranga. Noor Ahmad and Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana came in Diamond; Ijaz Ahmadzai, Colin Munro, David Wiese and Hashmatullah Shahidi in Gold; Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus and England quick Olly Stone in Silver. That is two frontline wrist-spinners in one squad.
The 2018 Paktia Panthers, with Mohammad Shahzad's 344 runs and Isuru Udana's 17 wickets, were a different team. They topped neither the final nor this new club's record book. Paktia's 2026 column is empty, on purpose.
Paktia coaching staff 2026
- Head coach
- Azhar Mahmood
- Mentor
- Waqar Younis
- Captain (Afghan Icon)
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Paktia latest news
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.
APL 2026 Squads Confirmed: All Five 19-Player Teams
Rashid has Amir and Nabi. Zadran has Moeen. Gurbaz has Hasaranga and Noor. A team-by-team read of the official lists.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Who is in the Paktia squad?
19 players, led by Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Headline picks: Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Noor Ahmad Lakanwal, Nahid Rana (Bangladesh). Source: ACB draft release, 3 November 2026.
Is Paktia the same club as the 2018 side from Paktia?
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.