Chris Lynn leads Lahore Qalandars exits ahead of PSL finale

The Australian batsman struck a century to help Sohail Akhtar's side reach the semi-finals but that will be his final involvement

• McClenaghan becomes 15th PSL withdrawal
• Qalandars secure semi-final berth

Lahore Qalandars' pursuit of a first-ever Pakistan Super League title has been handed a major blow with opener Chris Lynn leading a raft of departures ahead of the knock-out stage of the competition.

David Wiese and Seekkuge Prasanna have also departed after the Pakistan Cricket Board gave players the option to withdraw amid the increasing threat posed by the coronavirus.

To cover for the losses, Abid Ali and Salman Agha have joined for the sharp end of the competition after the PCB changed rules regarding local and overseas players.

On Sunday, Qalandars booked their place in the semi-finals for the first time after a nine-wicket win over Multan Sultans.

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Lynn inspired the win with an unbeaten 113 to guide his side to victory and past the group phase for the first time in their history. But they will have to continue their bid for silverware without the Australian opener.

"Thoroughly enjoyed my time at the PSL unfortunately in these circumstances I’ve chosen to head home," said Lynn, who scored 284 runs at 40.57.

"I’ve always said there is more to life than cricket and this is certainly one of these cases. 

"I have full faith in the Lahore Qalandars to go all the way but more importantly, have fun lads! Thank you to everyone involved, Pakistan you have been a blast."

Wiese, the South African allrounder, has also opted to withdraw after making eight appearances for Qalandars in the preliminary stage.

It’s been an amazing experience playing for @lahoreqalandars in this years @thePSLt20
Unfortunately this is the end of the tournament for me but I would like to thank each and every Qalander fan for all ur support!I’ve teally enjoyed my time in Pakistan and hope to be back soon! pic.twitter.com/2bMzHQmGjU

— David Wiese (@David_Wiese) March 15, 2020

"It’s been an amazing experience playing for Lahore Qalandars in this year's PSL. Unfortunately, this is the end of the tournament for me, but I would like to thank each and every Qalander fan for all your support," Wiese, who took seven wickets at 23.42 and scored 53 runs," wrote on Twitter.

"I’ve really enjoyed my time in Pakistan and hope to be back soon."

Sri Lanka leg spinner Prasanna only made two appearances for Qalandars in the 2020 edition, finishing with figures of 0-28 on both occasions.

The raft of exits comes after 15 players chose to leave the PSL as the World Health Organisation labelled the COVID-19 crisis a global pandemic.

Organisers have already shortened and reformed the knock-out stage of the competition, replacing the playoff stage with a straight forward semi-final format involving the top four in the group. The final has been moved forward to March 18.