Lanka Premier League: It is not new that Cricket is life for many in the subcontinent. Amidst the distress in Sri Lanka, the people have found a little moment of joy in the game. With the ongoing Australia tour to the country, Srilanka has a further announcement regarding more cricket in the country.
Sri Lanka Cricket has announced that the third edition of the Lanka Premier League will commence on July 31. The five-team tournament will take place in Colombo and Hambantota and will end on August 21.
Mr. Shammi Silva, President, Sri Lanka Cricket said, ‘’We are extremely happy to announce the 3rd edition of the Lanka Premier League, which has started well its journey toward carving a place in the global T20 League competitions, as a formidable tournament,’’ The tournament will feature 24 games in total. International player registration for the Player Draft will begin soon. For the years 2020-2024, the IPG Group is the Official Right Holder of the Lanka Premier League (LPL).
The announcement puts rest to any doubts about the tournament’s staging due to the country’s massive economic and political problems, especially since Sri Lanka is presently hosting Australia for an all-format series.
The Sri Lankan Cricket Board officially launched the LPL in 2018. However, it was repeatedly postponed owing to administrative complications. The competition was finally approved in 2020, and it began during the Covid-19 restrictions. Every season, five teams compete in the tournament. Jaffna Stallions (now Jaffna Kings) won the inaugural LPL title in 2020. They also won their 2nd consecutive title in 2021 as well.
The competition features a number of talented Sri Lankan players competing alongside some of the world’s most well-known international cricketers. With 28 wickets, Sri Lanka’s spin wonder Wanindu Hasaranga is the most successful bowler in the tournament’s history. Andrew McDonald, Umar Gul, Shoaib Malik, Callum Ferguson, James Franklin, Abdur Rehman, Hammad Azam, Chris Gayle, etc are among popular names who have featured in the league.
