Shaheen Afridi handed NOC for maiden Lanka Premier League stint; set to represent Kandy Royals

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to participate in the upcoming edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL).

The left-arm pacer is all set to make his debut in the Sri Lanka-based franchise tournament, where he will represent the Kandy Royals, as reported by Cricinfo.

The LPL is scheduled to be held from July 17 to August 8, with Kandy Royals beginning their campaign against Dambulla Sixers on July 18.

Afridi’s participation in the LPL comes after he was left out of Pakistan’s Test squads for the ongoing series against the West Indies and England following a below-par run in the longest format. With the Test assignments clashing with the LPL schedule, the 26-year-old will instead feature in the franchise competition.

Pakistan selector and High Performance Director Aaqib Javed had earlier hinted that Afridi’s priorities may now be shifting towards white-ball cricket.

“A player has to pick which format he wants to play,” he was quoted as saying by Cricinfo.

The left-arm speedster was recently included in Pakistan’s ongoing white-ball camp at the National Cricket Academy despite a red-ball camp taking place simultaneously. He was also omitted from Pakistan’s playing XI for the second Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet.

Although his place in the Test side has come under scrutiny, Afridi remains an integral part of Pakistan’s limited-overs plans. He was appointed Pakistan’s ODI captain last year and recently led the team to a 2-1 ODI series victory over Australia at home.

Afridi finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker in the series, claiming seven wickets at an impressive average of 12.14, alongside left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas, who made his ODI debut during the series.

The upcoming LPL season will mark Afridi’s second overseas franchise tournament in the past year. He previously represented Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League but endured a difficult campaign, managing just two wickets in four matches at an average of 76.50.

Despite that underwhelming outing, Afridi remains one of the most sought-after T20 bowlers in world cricket. Across all T20 cricket, he has picked up 362 wickets at an average of 20.99 while maintaining an economy rate of 7.97.

Disclaimer: The information presented in this news article is based on the author’s insights, analysis, and perspective. Readers are encouraged to evaluate the details thoughtfully and draw their own conclusions.-