Shaheen Afridi reports LPL team sheet error to Anti-Corruption Unit after surprise omission

WEB DESK: Pakistan T20I captain Shaheen Afridi lodged a complaint with the Lanka Premier League’s Anti-Corruption Unit after being unexpectedly left out of a match because of what franchise officials described as a team management error.

According to reports, Kandy Royals informed the left-arm pacer before their fixture against Colombo Capitals that he would be used as an “impact player”, a rule allowing teams to introduce a replacement during a match.

However, during the game, team management informed Shaheen that his name had not been included in the final team sheet after an analyst mistakenly submitted the wrong list to the match referee.

The unexpected omission reportedly prompted Shaheen to immediately raise the matter with an Anti-Corruption Unit official.

Following the incident, the Pakistan fast bowler decided to return home, but the matter was subsequently brought before the match referee. Franchise officials and tournament organisers later apologised for the error and convinced him to continue participating in the competition.

An LPL spokesperson later confirmed that the incident resulted from the submission of an incorrect team sheet to the match referee.

The controversy comes as the Lanka Premier League faces increased scrutiny following the arrest of Jaffna Kings owner Manjot Karla by Sri Lanka’s Special Investigation Unit over alleged match-fixing concerns. Tournament organisers have since revoked the franchise’s ownership rights, with Sri Lanka Cricket and the organising company taking over the team’s management.

Shaheen Afridi has featured prominently for Kandy Royals this season, claiming one wicket for 41 runs in his opening match, followed by figures of two for 34 in the second game and one for 32 in the third. He did not play in the team’s most recent fixture.

Several other Pakistani cricketers, including Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan and Mohammad Wasim Jr, are also participating in the Lanka Premier League, while Pakistani umpire Asif Yaqoob has been appointed as one of the tournament’s match officials.