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Shaheen Afridi will play in the LPL for the first time in 2026: Pakistan's star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi is all set to play his first match in Sri Lanka's premier domestic T20 tournament, the Lanka Premier League (LPL). The path for his participation was cleared after he received a 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The lethal left-arm pacer will be seen representing the Kandy Royals franchise in the upcoming season.
Kandy Royals Campaign Starts on July 18
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The excitement of this Sri Lankan T20 league will unfold from July 17 to August 8. Shaheen's team, the Kandy Royals, will kick off their campaign on July 18 with a match against the Dambulla Sixers. Fans are hoping that Shaheen will wreak havoc on the opposition with his fiery bowling right from the very first match.
Stepping Away from Red-Ball Cricket to Focus on White-Ball Cricket
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Shaheen Afridi's participation in the LPL is the result of a significant shift in his international cricket schedule. After struggling with poor form in Test cricket (the longest format), he was dropped from Pakistan's Test squad for the upcoming red-ball series against the West Indies and England.
Pakistan's chief selector and high-performance director, Aaqib Javed, recently indicated that this decision reflects a change in the board's priorities. According to Cricinfo, he stated clearly:
"The player himself has to choose which format he wants to prioritize."
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