Five for 18 in a final — and now he is back
Qais Ahmad is the one player in the Balkh Zwanan squad who has already won this league — and he won the final almost single-handedly, taking 5 for 18 for Balkh Legends in 2018. Eight years later, the leg-spinner is back in Balkh colours, this time for a new club, as a Supplementary pick.
Qais Ahmad is in the Balkh Zwanan squad for APL 2026-27, picked in the Supplementary category at the player draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026. He is the one player in the squad who has already won this league: eight years earlier, as an 18-year-old leg-spinner, he bowled Balkh Legends to the inaugural title. The name on the shirt has changed — Balkh Zwanan is a new club, not the Legends — but the connection is the story of his return.
His 2018 season was the breakout. Across nine matches for Balkh Legends he took 15 wickets at an economy rate of 6.26 — the most wickets for his team, the third-most in the tournament, and the best economy rate of any bowler in the top five. Only Isuru Udana (17) and Sayed Shirzad (16) took more. He bowled in nine of Balkh’s ten matches, and then he produced the spell the final is remembered for: 5 for 18 off four overs, Player of the Final, and a title.
He was born in Nangarhar on 15 August 2000, bowls right-arm leg-spin and bats right-handed. Eight years after that final, he is back in the city where he won it — for a different club, in a different league, with the same job: take wickets in the middle overs and win the games that matter.
Role, style and draft pick
Bowler — right-arm leg-spin, middle-overs wicket-taker.
| Detail | Qais Ahmad |
|---|---|
| Role | Bowler |
| Batting | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling | Right-arm leg-spin |
| Born | 15 August 2000, Nangarhar |
| Draft | Supplementary |
| APL debut | 2018, Balkh Legends (title) |
Captain: Ibrahim Zadran. Head coach: Mickey Arthur. Mentor: Tillakaratne Dilshan.
APL 2026-27 numbers — none yet
The season starts on Sunday 27 December 2026, so no APL 2026-27 figures exist for any player yet — not for Qais Ahmad, and not for anyone else in the league.
Qais Ahmad’s 2018 season is the best verified APL record of any player in this squad. His 2026-27 figures will come after the season starts on 27 December 2026.
| Season | Matches | Wickets | Economy | Best | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 9 | 15 | 6.26 | 5/18 | Balkh Legends |
2018 figures from the verified season record: 15 wickets in nine matches, third-most in the tournament. The 2026-27 season has not started, so there are no figures for it yet.
Where he fits at Balkh Zwanan
Qais is the bowler Balkh Zwanan’s middle overs are built around. Ghazanfar’s mystery spin and Salamkheil’s wrist spin give Arthur variety, but Qais gives him proof: 15 wickets in this league, a 5 for 18 in its final, and the best economy among the top five wicket-takers of 2018. In a double round-robin where every team plays eight league matches, a leg-spinner who takes wickets without leaking runs is the most valuable bowler in the squad.
Watch him in the big games. The 2018 final is the evidence: when Balkh Legends needed wickets, their 18-year-old leg-spinner took five of them. The final this time is on Wednesday 20 January 2027. APL Schedule will carry Balkh’s dates once the Afghanistan Cricket Board publishes the fixture list, and the season in full is on APL T20.
Frequently asked questions
Did Qais Ahmad win the APL in 2018?
Yes — with Balkh Legends, taking 5 for 18 in the final against Kabul Zwanan and winning Player of the Final. He took 15 wickets in nine matches that season, the third-most in the tournament.
Is Balkh Zwanan the same club as Balkh Legends?
No. Balkh Legends were the 2018 champions; Balkh Zwanan are a new club and do not inherit the title. Qais Ahmad and Gulbadin Naib both played for Legends in 2018.
What is Qais Ahmad’s bowling style?
Right-arm leg-spin. He is a right-hand batter and a specialist bowler, taken as a Supplementary pick at the 3 November 2026 draft.
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