Shaheen Afridi lodges complaint with anti-corruption unit after being dropped as impact player in LPL 2026

The Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 has continued to be controversial as it has been rocked by another controversy, involving one of its marquee overseas signings. Pakistan captain and left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has lodged a complaint with the anti-corruption unit after getting dropped from a fixture. 

The competition hasn’t taken a successful route in being stable from the outside as the Jaffna Kings co-owner, Manjot Kalra, was arrested on suspicion of attempting to bribe a player, just a few hours before the opening encounter of the tournament. Afridi’s grievance adds to the sense of disorder around the event.  

What happened: Afridi reports Kandy after analyst's error leaves him out as impact player

It has been reported that Afridi was so upset by the treatment of the franchise that he even decided to leave Sri Lanka entirely before the apologies from the side, with the organizers trying their best to remain for the rest of the competition.

There was a sequence of events which centered on a breakdown in communication over the role of the player in the match. The captain of the Pakistan side had given a clear assurance that he would play. In the LPL, he had been told a few days earlier that he would play the game as an impact player.

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But the issue escalated when the match started, and Afridi realised that he wouldn’t feature. After being dropped during the contest, Shaheen brought the matter to the attention of the anti-corruption official.

Afridi’s presence in the LPL 2026 has been followed by his absence from the Test squad of the Pakistan side for their Test series against West Indies and England, with the fast bowler granting a NOC to play franchise cricket during the red-ball window.  

Afridi's LPL 2026 form: From 1/41, 1/32, and 2/34 besides sitting out in one game

Afridi has been featuring in his very first season of the LPL for the Kandy Royals. In the very first game against the Dambulla Sixers, he ended with the figures of 1/41 in three overs at an economy rate of 13.70, including the wicket of the Sixers captain, Dinesh Chandimal. 

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After being dropped from the game against the Colombo Kings, Afridi returned to the XI against the Sixers and returned with the figures of 1/32 in four overs at an economy rate of eight, with the wicket of Reeza Hendricks.

Against the Colombo Kings, Afridi finished with figures of 2/34 in four overs at an economy rate of 8.50, including the wickets of Kamindu Mendis and Wanuja Sahan.