Pakistan: fast bowler Shaheen Afridi is on the verge of leaving the Lanka Premier League (LPL) after he was left out of Kandy Royals’ match against Colombo Capitals despite being told that he will play as an ‘Impact Player’ in the team.According to media reports, the franchise informed Afridi before the match that he will be used as an Impact Player, a tactical substitution rule first introduced in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Under the rule, a nominated player can replace another player during the match and can bat or bowl their full quota of four overs, while the replaced player does not take part in the game.However, after Kandy Royals elected to bat first, the team’s coach reportedly told Afridi during the innings that his name had not been included in the team’s official sheet as the designated Impact Player due to an analyst’s error.
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The development surprised Afridi. He immediately reported the matter to an official of the tournament’s Anti-Corruption Unit.Reports, including Pakistan’s Geo News, said the left-arm pacer was furious after being left without an explanation and was ready to leave the tournament and return to Pakistan.The matter was later brought to the notice of the match referee. The franchise officials and league organizers apologized to Afridi and convinced him to continue playing in the tournament instead of leaving.