LPL controversy: Pakistan star Shaheen Afridi complains to anti-corruption official after being dropped from Kandi Royals vs Galle Titans match

LPL controversy: Pakistan star Shaheen Afridi complains to anti-corruption official after being dropped from Kandi Royals vs Galle Titans match originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Shaheen Afridi lodged a complaint with the LPL's Anti-Corruption Unit after being dropped.

The Pakistan pacer was reportedly told he would feature as an impact player.

Afridi nearly left the tournament before the franchise and organisers apologised.

Advertisement

Pakistan star Shaheen Afridi complains to anti-corruption official after being dropped from Kandy Royals

The Lanka Premier League's troubled 2026 edition has been rocked by another controversy, this time involving one of its marquee overseas signings.

Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi has lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Unit after being dropped from a Kandy Royals fixture.

The tournament has struggled for stability from the outset, with Jaffna Kings co-owner Manjot Kalra arrested on suspicion of attempting to bribe a player hours before the opening match. Afridi's grievance adds to the sense of disorder surrounding the competition.

Advertisement

According to journalist Saleem Khaliq, the left-armer was so aggrieved by his treatment that he prepared to leave Sri Lanka entirely before apologies from the franchise and organisers persuaded him to remain in the tournament.

MORE: Hardik Pandya fitness update: India all-rounder's rehab status and return date revealed

What happened to Afridi

Khaliq laid out the sequence of events, which centred on a breakdown in communication over the pacer's role in the match. The Pakistan captain had reportedly been given a clear assurance that he would play."

In the Lanka Premier League, Shaheen Afridi had been told a few days earlier that he would play the match as an impact player," Khaliq wrote.

Embed Twitter Feed

Advertisement

However, it was later claimed that his name was not submitted due to an analyst's mistake.

"The situation escalated once the match was underway and Afridi realised he would not feature. "After being dropped during the match, Shaheen brought the matter to the attention of the anti-corruption official," Khaliq added.

The dispute came close to ending his stint prematurely. "He was about to return home, but the franchise and organisers apologised and convinced him to stay," Khaliq explained.

Afridi's presence in the LPL follows his omission from Pakistan's Test squads for the tours of the West Indies and England, with the fast bowler granted an NOC to play franchise cricket during the red-ball window.

Advertisement

MORE: WI vs PAK 1st Test 2026 umpires: Full list of match officials for West Indies vs Pakistan Test at Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba

A telling episode for a floundering league

The specifics here matter less than what they reveal. Reporting an administrative mix-up to an anti-corruption official is an extraordinary step, and it suggests Afridi's trust in the organisation was low enough that he feared something more sinister than a clerical error. That instinct is not unreasonable given the backdrop.

The LPL began this season with a franchise owner arrested for alleged match-fixing, so a marquee player being unexpectedly pulled from a match was always likely to trigger suspicion rather than a shrug.

Advertisement

The wider picture is bleak for the tournament. ESPNcricinfo has openly questioned who the LPL is actually for, citing absent fans, departing sponsors and unstable ownership, and a high-profile name nearly walking out over a selection blunder does nothing to dispel that impression.

Click here to read article