Shahid Afridi Appointed as The Skipper of Galle Gladiators in LPL 2020

Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi has been appointed as the captain of Galle Gladiators for the upcoming inaugural edition of Lanka Premier League. Afridi is currently in Karachi and is expected to reach Sri Lanka on Monday, November 23. Afridi is a replacement of Sarfaraz Ahmed, who ruled out of the league due to Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand.

“Afridi is arriving in Sri Lanka on 23rd and will be quarantined for three days and he is hoping to lead the team in the first match against Jaffna Stallions on 27th November,” the team manager, who’s also a mentor of Pakistan left-hander Fakhar Zaman, was quoted as saying in BDcrictime.

“Yes, Afridi has been training in Karachi and he will interact with the other team a day before the match,” the manager stated.

Shahid Afridi was a part of ‘Multan Sultan’ in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL). His performance in the tournament was decent but the team couldn’t make it to the finals.

In Lanka Premier League, starting from November 26, Afridi is expected to lead Galle Gladiators’ in the first match against Jaffna Stallions at the Mahinda Rajapaksha International Stadium in Hambantota.

Notably, Galle Gladiators mentor Waqar Younis is yet to reach Sri Lanka.

“We are also hoping he will be here soon. We have also included Waqas Maqsood in the squad,” Fakhar Zaman added.

At the meantime, Gladiators have also replaced England’s Ravi Bopara with West Indies’ Johnson Charles.

“West Indies wicket-keeper batsman Johnson Charles has signed the contract as the sixth overseas player of the team for the upcoming LPL tournament,” said Ganeshan Vaheesan, the team official.

The inaugural edition of Lanka Premier League is scheduled to get underway on Thursday, November 26. The First match of the league will be played between Colombo Kings and Kandy Tuskers at the Mahinda Rajapaksha International Stadium in Hambantota.