Ollie Pope withdraws from Afghanistan Premier League T20 draft

England batsman Ollie Pope has withdrawn his name from the upcoming Afghanistan Premier League T20 draft scheduled for October 24, 2026. Fellow English cricketers Will Smeed and David Willey have also pulled out of the competition amid growing scrutiny over English participation. Pope made his decision ahead of comments from ECB managing director Rob Key, who urged players to weigh the moral implications of competing in the tournament.

The ECB faced public criticism for granting No-Objection Certificates despite refusing bilateral fixtures against Afghanistan over restrictions on women's sports. Meanwhile, Dawid Malan remains in the draft pool while awaiting guidance from the ECB and ICC. The tournament is scheduled to begin December 27 in the UAE, though only three of five franchises have reportedly been sold.