Bipin Dani
Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi will be the new captain of the Galle Gladiators, the team manager Azam Khan said.
The 40-year-old Afridi has replaced team’s first choice captain Sarfraz Ahamd, who is leaving with the national team for New Zealand on Monday.
Decision to appoint Afridi as captain was taken after speedster Lasith Malinga too pulled out. “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 also is a mentor for Pakistan’s national player Fakhar Zaman.
Afridi could not travel with the other members of his team and the coach Moin Khan because of the sickness of his youngest daughter.
“Yes, Afridi has been training in Karachi and he will interact with the other team a day before the match”.
Galle ‘s mentor, Waqar Younis is yet to arrive in Sri Lanka. “We are also hoping he will be here soon”.
“We have also included Waqas Maqsood in the squad”, he further added. . The Galle Gladiators have announced former Pakistan Captain and star player Shahid Afridi as their captain for the first edition of Lanka Premier League (LPL) which will be played from November 26 to December 16 in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.
In the meantime, Jaffna Stallions team has replaced Ravi Bopara with another foreign player. “West Indies Wicket Keeper- Batsman Johnson Charles has signed the contract as the sixth overseas player of the team for the upcoming LPL tournament”, the team official Ganeshan Vaheesan (Harry) said.”, adding the player has sought the NOC from his home board-CWI, but it likely to be a formality.
The team will also add a local player Prabath Jayasuriya in the squad. All five teams have been asked to have 22 players out of which four to remain in reserve pool.
