Captains with LPL 2026 trophy | PC- X.com/@CallMeSheri1_
The ongoing season of the Lanka Premier League (LPL 2026) is already under a lot of scrutiny due to multiple controversies that have unfolded in the tournament. Recently, an incident led fans to call the league fixed.
From franchise corruption scandal to Shaheen Afridi's selection dispute and then a franchise owner getting arrested, the LPL 2026 has seen all infamous day with a fortnight worth of cricket yet to played in the season.
Shahnawaz Dahani bowls nightmare spell in LPL 2026
Adding more injury to insult, Shahnawaz Dahani has been involved in a dramatic series of events in the LPL 2026 fixture between Jaffna Kings and Colombo Kaps on Tuesday evening.
While opening the bowling for the Kaps, the Pakistan speedster gave away 71 runs in his four-over spell, including six extras. It is worth mentioning that the 27-year-old pacer leaked 21 and 31 runs, respectively, in two of his overs.
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Dahani started his spell with a wide delivery, but ended the over by giving 6 runs. In his second over, the Jaffna batters went behind the paceman, scoring two biggies and two fours in a 21-run over.
The speedster returned for his second spell in the death overs, when he began the 17th over with three back-to-back extras, two wides and a no-ball, going for 13 runs in it.
However, Towhid Hridoy blasted Dahani in the final over, where three successive sixes were hit on the first three balls before ending the 31-run over with a six and a four.
Watch: Towhid Hridoy punishes Shahnawaz Dahani in LPL 2026
Fans question LPL 2026's integrity
After Shahnawaz Dahani bowled the most expensive over in the history of the league, social media has been flooded with allegations that the LPL is plagued by match-fixing, with many fans openly questioning the league’s integrity.
It is worth noting that one of the LPL franchise owners, Manjot Kalra, was arrested by the Sri Lanka Police’s Special Investigations Unit earlier this month for allegedly being involved in corrupt practices ahead of the LPL 2026 season.
One of the netizens even labelled LPL a "fixed league,” saying that 30-run overs have become common while alleging the fielders drop catches on purpose.
While a user questioned Dahani's game awareness, as he kept bowling at poor lines when under the pump.
That said, a bunch fans also comforted the paceman after his poor day at the office.
How series of injuries derailed Shahnawaz Dahani's career?
Although Shahnawaz Dahani bowled the most expensive spell by a Pakistani bowler, he is regarded as one of the hardest-working pacers from the country, best suited for the shortest format.
A career full of injuries, Dahani came to reckoning during PSL 2021, where he snapped 20 wickets for Multan Sultans. Next season, he became a force to reckon with and returned with 17 wickets.
However, he sustained a side strain during the Asia Cup 2022, before getting his finger fractured next year and facing a back injury in the following season. In November 2024, he faced an ankle injury. Despite that, Dahani worked tremendously on his fitness and has been injury-free for the last two years.
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