Pakistan T20I captain Shaheen Afridi has formally lodged a complaint with the Lanka Premier League’s Anti-Corruption Unit following a selection mishap that saw him excluded from a match. The incident occurred when Kandy Royals officials initially informed Afridi that he would participate as an “impact player,” a rule permitting teams to substitute one player during a match.
However, during the game against Colombo Capitals, Afridi was unexpectedly told by the team management that his name had been omitted from the final team sheet due to an analyst’s error. This unexpected development prompted the left-arm fast bowler to immediately raise the issue with an Anti-Corruption Unit official.
In response to the incident, Afridi initially decided to return to Pakistan. Meanwhile, the matter was reported to the match referee. Subsequently, franchise officials and league organizers issued an apology for the mistake and persuaded Afridi to remain in the tournament.
An official spokesperson for the Lanka Premier League later clarified that the confusion stemmed from the submission of an incorrect team sheet to the match referee.
This controversy arises amid heightened scrutiny of the Lanka Premier League, following the arrest of Jaffna Kings owner Manjot Karla by Sri Lanka’s Special Investigation Unit over alleged match-fixing allegations. The franchise’s ownership rights were revoked, with Sri Lanka Cricket and the tournament’s organizing company now managing the team.
Shaheen Afridi has been representing Kandy Royals in the tournament, recording one wicket for 41 runs in his first match, two wickets for 34 runs in the second, and one wicket for 32 runs in the third. Notably, he did not participate in the team’s most recent fixture.
Other Pakistani players such as Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, and Mohammad Wasim Jr are also competing in the Lanka Premier League. Additionally, Pakistani umpire Asif Yaqoob has been appointed to officiate in the tournament.
