The Sri Lanka Premier League (LPL) has found itself at the centre of another controversy after reports claimed Shaheen Afridi raised concerns with the tournament’s Anti-Corruption Unit over his unexpected omission from a match. The incident reportedly created tension within the Kandy Royals camp and briefly raised questions about the Pakistan captain’s future in the competition.
According to reports, Shaheen Afridi was informed before Kandy Royals’ match against Colombo Capitals that he would not be included in the starting XI as a regular player. Instead, the franchise planned to use him as an Impact Player, a rule similar to the one used in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which allows a designated substitute to be introduced during the match.
However, the situation became more complicated when Kandy Royals’ coaching staff reportedly discovered that Shaheen’s name had mistakenly been left out of the official Impact Player list submitted before the match. Team officials later acknowledged that the issue resulted from an administrative error by the team’s analyst rather than a deliberate decision.
The unexpected omission reportedly left Shaheen Afridi frustrated, prompting him to seek clarification from an official attached to the tournament’s Anti-Corruption Unit. Reports also suggested that the left-arm fast bowler considered leaving the tournament and returning to Pakistan before league officials and franchise management intervened.
Following discussions, Kandy Royals officials and LPL authorities reportedly apologised for the misunderstanding and persuaded the Pakistan captain to remain with the team.
The controversy comes during a challenging period for the Sri Lanka Premier League, which has already faced off-field issues this season. Earlier, the ownership of the Jaffna Kings franchise changed after allegations of match-fixing led to legal action against its owner, with Sri Lanka Cricket taking control of the team’s operations.
Despite the off-field drama, Shaheen Afridi has remained one of the tournament’s biggest international stars. Before missing the latest match, he claimed four wickets across his opening three appearances while continuing to play a key role for Kandy Royals.
Several other Pakistani cricketers, including Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Aaqib Javed, are also participating in this year’s tournament, while Pakistani umpire Asif Yaqoob is officiating matches.
Responding to the growing speculation, an LPL spokesperson clarified that Shaheen Afridi’s omission resulted solely from an incorrectly submitted team sheet, describing the incident as an administrative mistake rather than any intentional action.
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