Ireland’s Paul Stirling, Afghanistan’s Hazratullah Zazai and Naveen ul Haq and Canada’s Ravinderpal Singh have joined some of the big names in International cricket, including the likes of Angelo Mathews, Faf du Plessis, Chris Gayle, Shahid Afridi, Andre Russell, Liam Plunkett and others during the player draft held on 19th October 2020 for the inaugural edition of Lanka Premier League.
The tournament will be played between 21st November and 13th December at Pallekele and Hambantota and a total of 23 matches will be played in the tournament. Colombo Kings, Kandy Tuskers, Galle Gladiators, Dambulla Hawks and Jaffna Stallions are the five franchise based teams competing in the inaugural edition.
While most of the squads were chosen during the draft, which was held online and teams were expected to select a squad of 20 players (including 4 reserve players), most of the teams have left few spots open in their squads without choosing an overseas player during the draft, and will have to confirm to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) by November 01st about their overseas signing.
The opportunity will be big for the likes of Ravinderpal Singh and Paul Stirling to showcase their talent and get more live broadcast coverage to get noticed for other T20 leagues across the globe.
The final overseas signings can still see some more players from Associate member countries get signed up as availability of players from full member countries could be a hindrance due to the strict 14-day quarantine protocol put in place by SLC, which will ensure that arriving players from overseas will not be allowed to leave their hotel rooms during that period.
Lanka Premier League Squads
Dambulla Hawks: Dasun Shanaka, David Miller, Carlos Brathwaite, Samit Patel, Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Kumara, Oshada Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Paul Stirling (Ireland), Lahiru Madushanka, Upul Tharanga, Angelo Perera, Ramesh Mendis, Pulina Tharanga, Ashen Bandara, Dilshan Madushanka and Sachindu Colombage
Kandy Tuskers: Chris Gayle, Kusal Perera, Liam Plunkett, Wahab Riaz, Kusal Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Seekkuge Prasanna, Asela Gunaratne, Naveen-Ul-Haq (Afghanistan), Kamindu Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Priyamal Perera, Kavishka Anjula, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lahiru Samarakoon, Nishan Fernando, Chamika Edirisinghe and Ishan Jayaratne
Colombo Kings: Andre Russell, Faf du Plessis, Angelo Mathews, Manpreet Singh Gony, Manvinder Bisla, Isuru Udana, Dinesh Chandimal, Amila Aponso, Ravinderpal Singh (Canada), Ashan Priyanjan, Dushmantha Chameera, Jeffrey Vandersay, Thikshila de Silva, Tharindu Kaushal, Lahiru Udara, Himesh Ramanayake, Kalana Perera, Tharindu Rathnayaka and Navod Paranawithana
Galle Gladiators: Lasith Malinga, Shahid Afridi, Colin Ingram, Mohammad Amir, Hazratullah Zazai (Afghanistan), Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Akila Dananjaya, Milinda Siriwardana, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Azam Khan, Lakshan Sandakan, Shehan Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Mohomed Shiraz, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Chanaka Ruwansiri and Sahan Arachchi
Jaffna Stallions: Thisara Perera, Dawid Malan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shoaib Malik, Usman Shinwari, Avishka Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva, Suranga Lakmal, Binura Fernando, Asif Ali, Minod Bhanuka, Chaturanga de Silva, Mahesh Theekshana, Charith Asalanka, Nuvinidu Fernando, Kanagaratnam Kapilraj, Theivendiram Dinoshan and Yiyakanth Yiyaskanth
