Two hundreds that earned a draft pick
At the player draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026, Nangarhar Cosmic picked Zubairullah Akbari in the Supplementary category — no salary published for the round. He joins a squad captained by Rahmat Shah, coached by Toby Radford and mentored by Mark Boucher, and the season starts on 27 December 2026 in the UAE.
Akbari is a batting all-rounder: a left-hand batter who bowls slow left-arm orthodox, born in Nangarhar on 1 May 2000. His T20I debut came on 7 October 2023 against India, in the Asian Games gold-medal match, and he has four T20Is for Afghanistan. At domestic level he has played for Speen Ghar Region, Speen Ghar Tigers, Nangarhar Province, Hindukush Strikers and Dhaka Capitals.
The two innings that earned him the pick were both hundreds under pressure. He made 124 not out off 54 balls in the Kabul Premier League eliminator on 19 October 2025, and 134 off 133 balls in the List A final on 25 July 2024. For Cosmic, he is a left-hand option in the middle order and a second left-arm spinner alongside Shakib — a Supplementary pick who can cover two jobs.
APL 2026-27 in numbers
The season has not started, so Zubairullah Akbari has no APL 2026-27 runs, wickets or matches yet. His first numbers in this league will come after Nangarhar Cosmic’s opening match — the season’s first ball is on Sunday 27 December 2026. Until then, the table below is his career at a glance.
| Detail | Zubairullah Akbari |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 May 2000, Nangarhar, Afghanistan |
| Role | Batting all-rounder |
| Batting | Left-hand bat |
| Bowling | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| Draft category | Supplementary — no salary published |
| APL history | APL debut in 2026-27 |
Career facts are from the player’s verified profile record. No APL 2026-27 figures exist yet — the season starts on 27 December 2026.
Where Nangarhar stand
Nangarhar Cosmic’s all-round group is deep: Shakib and Kamindu Mendis at the top, Ismatullah Alam and Shafiqullah Ghafari in the middle, and Akbari as the Supplementary cover. Captain Rahmat Shah leads the side, Toby Radford coaches it, and Mark Boucher mentors it.
Cosmic play eight league matches, two against each of the other four teams, with four playoff places on offer. The APL T20 season opens on Sunday 27 December 2026 at 5:30 PM Afghanistan time, and the final is on Wednesday 20 January 2027. Akbari’s 124 not out off 54 balls shows what he can do when a game needs winning quickly.
Frequently asked questions
What is Zubairullah Akbari’s role for Nangarhar Cosmic?
He is a batting all-rounder — a left-hand batter who bowls slow left-arm orthodox, picked in the Supplementary category.
Why is he listed as Zubaid Akbari elsewhere?
Outside the APL he is listed as Zubaid Akbari; the APL squad list gives his name as Zubairullah Akbari. They are the same player.
Has Zubairullah Akbari played T20I cricket?
Yes. He made his T20I debut for Afghanistan against India on 7 October 2023, in the Asian Games gold-medal match, and has four T20Is.
Nangarhar Cosmic · APL Players · APL Schedule · Afghanistan Premier League