Lanka Premier League to kick-off on November 14
The inaugural edition of Lanka Premier League (LPL) will begin on November 14 this year. Notably, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed the development. Sri Lanka's flagship T20 tournament, which was originally scheduled from August 28 to September 20, had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here are further details on the same.
Here is what the organizers said
"The tournament will not only create a platform for local players to develop their skills by playing side by side with world-class players but will also provide an opportunity for Sri Lankan cricket fans to watch a quality cricket tournament," the organizers said.
Key details of the tournament
The 23-match tournament will be played at three international venues of Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium and Suriyawewa Mahinda Rajapakse International Cricket Stadium. As many as five teams named after the cities of Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Dambulla and Jaffna will feature in the same. Meanwhile, the full schedule is yet to be announced and will be subject to government approval.
The inaugural LPL season was called-off
The Lanka Premier League was set to be inaugurated in 2018, but insufficient interest led to its cancelation. The SLC only managed to host the tournament in 2012, which was also marred, owing to poor crowds and corruption rumors.
The tournament could be affected by rain
The updated schedule means the tournament will also overlap with the northeast monsoon, which brings significant rainfall to all three of the proposed venues. Although the tournament could be affected by incessant rain, SLC's ground-management systems have made it possible to host successful cricket tours in recent past. "We're speaking with the health authorities and the government about this," SLC vice-president Ravin Wickramaratne said.
