Shaheen Shah Afridi Cleared To Play Lanka Premier League After PCB Issues NOC

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), allowing him to participate in the 2026 Lanka Premier League (LPL) for the first time. Afridi will represent Kandy Royals in the tournament, which begins on July 17.

The decision comes after Shaheen was left out of Pakistan’s Test squads for the upcoming series against the West Indies and England. His participation in the LPL follows the PCB’s approval despite the tournament overlapping with the Test schedule.

PCB Clears Shaheen For LPL

The PCB issued the NOC after excluding the left-arm pacer from the Test squad. Selector and High Performance Director Aaqib Javed previously said players must decide which format they want to prioritize during overlapping international and franchise commitments.

Shaheen is currently attending the National Cricket Academy’s white-ball training camp and was also not selected for Pakistan’s second Test against Bangladesh.

Kandy Royals Campaign Begins July 18

The Lanka Premier League is scheduled to begin on July 17, with Kandy Royals set to play their opening match against Dambulla Sixers on July 18.

Shaheen recently captained Pakistan’s ODI side during the series against Australia, where Pakistan secured a 2-1 victory. He finished as the joint-leading wicket-taker of the series with seven wickets.

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