Shaheen Shah Afridi lodged a complaint with the Lanka Premier League‘s Anti-Corruption Unit after being denied the opportunity to play for Kandy Royals despite being assured he would feature in the match, according to a report by Tribune’s Saleem Khaliq. The Pakistan fast bowler was left out because his name was omitted from the official team sheet submitted before the game.
Afridi had been informed before Kandy Royals’ fixture against Colombo Capitals that he would be used as an Impact Player under the tournament’s substitution rule. However, during the match, he was told that an administrative error meant his name had not been included on the official list, making him ineligible to take the field.
Complaint lodged after selection error
The unexpected development prompted Afridi to report the matter to the league’s Anti-Corruption Unit to ensure the incident was formally documented.
The issue was also brought before the match referee as the circumstances surrounding his omission came under scrutiny.
Exit plans halted after apology
Frustrated by the incident, Afridi decided to leave Sri Lanka and return to Pakistan before franchise officials and league organisers intervened.
Following discussions, Kandy Royals apologised for the error and persuaded the left-arm pacer to remain with the squad for the rest of the tournament.
An LPL spokesperson later confirmed that the incident resulted from an incorrect team sheet being submitted to the match referee, which prevented the franchise from naming Afridi as an Impact Player during the match.
Strong start despite setback
Before missing the Colombo Capitals fixture, Afridi had already made a positive contribution for Kandy Royals in the competition.
He claimed figures of 1/41 in his opening appearance before following that with 2/34 and 1/32 in his next two outings.
LPL faces wider scrutiny
Afridi’s complaint comes during a turbulent period for the Lanka Premier League, which has already faced off-field controversy this season.
Before the tournament began, Jaffna Kings owner Manjot Karla was arrested by Sri Lanka’s Special Investigation Unit over alleged match-fixing links, as previously reported by cricexec. The franchise’s ownership rights were subsequently revoked, with the tournament organisers and Sri Lanka Cricket assuming responsibility for managing the team while investigations continue, as reported previously by cricexec.
