Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Kandy Tuskers has bought former India pacer Munaf Patel for the inaugural edition of the tournament, slated to begin on November 26.

Munaf, who has represented India in 13 Tests, 70 ODIs and 3 T20Is, was a part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning team.

He is the second Indian cricketer to be roped in by Tuskers after Irfan Pathan.

See Also: Irfan Pathan arrives in Sri Lanka ahead of inaugural Lanka Premier League

“Former India fast bowler Munaf Patel has signed a contract to @KandyTuskers,” the official handle of LPL tweeted on Tuesday (November 17).

Meanwhile, there were reports claiming that former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed has pulled out of the tournament.

Sarfaraz, who was supposed to lead the Galle Gladiators franchise, will no longer participate in the tournament as he has been selected in the national team for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.

“Sarfaraz has been selected in the Pakistan squad for the New Zealand tour and hence he is not travelling (to Sri Lanka),” Moin Khan, the Galle franchise coach, was quoted as saying by www.dailymirror.lk. “Now we have to decide the new captain. Will sit with the team owner and the management and decide in a day or two.”

The report also suggested that Sri Lanka’s T20 skipper Lasith Malinga, who was supposed to spearhead the pace attack of the Gladiators, “is in two minds whether to play the LPL or not.”

Malinga, who had withdrawn his name from the recently-concluded IPL citing personal reasons, has “indicated a desire to pull out”.

“He has not been able to train for quite some time and is a little hesitant. We are persuading him to play. He is a celebrity and we don’t want to miss him,” team owner Nadeem Omar said.

According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, there is also uncertainty about Chris Gayle’s involvement in the league. Gayle is still negotiating the terms of his contract with the Tuskers.

The report also said that Jaffna Stallions have fetched former South Africa fast bowlers Kyle Abbott and Duanne Olivier as replacements for Pakistan batsman Asif Ali and England batsman Dawid Malan, respectably.

“Stallions had also announced that batsmen Ravi Bopara and Shoaib Malik would be part of their squad, but their involvement is now also uncertain,” the report further stated.

(Inputs from PTI)