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In a major blow to the Ruhuna Royals, Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has withdrawn from the Sri Lankan Premier League (SLPL) to attend to his ailing wife back home.
Afridi's withdrawal is being seen as another setback for the inaugural edition of the league, which has faced various issues, ranging from India's boycott to withdrawal of big names from other countries, reports The Express Tribune.
West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle, Abdur Rehman, Fidel Edwards, Marlon Samuels and Shakib Al Hasan are among the international players to skip the tournament.
Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara was also ruled out due to injury.
Meanwhile, a senior SLPL official said Afridi would return if "issues get resolved". After four matches, Royals, who are currently ranked fifth, have managed a solitary win against three losses and will be battling for a place in the semi-finals.