Shpageeza Cricket League – History, Teams, and more
Shpageeza Cricket League: The Afghanistan Cricket Board organizes the Shpageeza Cricket League every year in Afghanistan. This is a Twenty20 cricket tournament. Eight franchises are set up for the Shpageeza tournament. It has players from the national team, players from overseas, players from the “A” team, and players from the under-19 squad. There are also top performers from each region taking part in this tournament. A draft comes into play to pick these teams.
Why did the Shpageeza Cricket League come into existence?
The main goal of this 12-day tournament is to get more people involved in cricket and other sports in Afghanistan and to use sports to bring about peace in the country and the world. The tournament is shown live on Afghanistan’s popular channel 1TV, which utilizes HD production standards. Each team is franchised and marketed to a company or organization to profit from the tournament. Because of how this tournament’s set up and broadcasted, Afghans will be able to see their national team play in their own country.
How and when did the SCL start?
The tournament was started in 2013 and retains its original name to date – Shpageeza Cricket League. Five teams from different parts of the country participated in the event, which was a good idea from the Afghanistan Cricket Board. Speenghar Tigers won the first league championship.
In 2014, the same number of teams from five different parts of the country competed in the second round. The title championship went to Mis-e-Ainak Knights. Man of the Tournament went to Gulbadin Naib. Noor Ali Zadran was the best batsman, and Rokhan Barekzai was the best bowler.
List A status was given to the Twenty20 domestic competition by the ICC for the 2017 season. But in May 2017, the ICC gave the 50-over Ghazi Amanullah Khan Regional One-Day Tournament in Afghanistan List A status, declaring it a primary tournament. As a result, Twenty20 status was given to the games in the 2017 Shpageeza cricket league.
Teams in the SCL
In the Shpageeza T20 Tournament, the following teams take part.
| Team | Region | Provinces | Home Ground | Debut Year | Wins |
| Amo Sharks(Amo Nahangan) | Amo | Balkh, Faryab, Jowzjan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol | Balkh Cricket Stadium, Mazar-i-Sharif | 2013 | N/A |
| Band-e-Amir Dragons(Band-e-Amir Khamaran) | Band-e-Amir | Ghazni, Bamyan, Daykundi, Maidan Wardak | Ghazni Cricket Ground, Ghazni | 2013 | 1 (2017) |
| Boost Defenders(Boost Satunki) | Boost | Kandahar, Helmand, Nimroz, Uruzgan, Zabul | Kandahar International Cricket Stadium, Kandahar | 2013 | N/A |
| Hindukush Stars(Hindukush Stori) | Hindukush | Herat, Badghis, Farah, Ghor | Herat Cricket Ground, Herat | 2021 | N/A |
| Kabul Eagles(Kabul Bazan) | Kabul | Kabul | Alokozay Kabul International Cricket Ground, Kabul | 2015 | 2 (2016, 2020) |
| Mis Ainak Knights(Mis Ainak Atalan) | Mis Ainak | Khost, Logar, Paktia, Paktika | Khost Cricket Stadium, Khost | 2013 | 1 (2014, 2019) |
| Pamir Zalmi(Pamir Zalmi) | Pamir | Kunduz, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Panjshir, Parwan, Takhar | Kunduz Cricket Ground, Kunduz | 2021 | N/A |
| Speenghar Tigers(Spin Ghar Zmaryan) | Speenghar | Nangarhar, Kapisa, Kunar, Laghman, Nuristan | Ghazi Amanullah International Cricket Stadium, Jalalabad | 2013 | 2 (2013, 2015) |