Lanka Premier League player draft was completed today via video conference, attended by the league organisers, franchisee owners and team coaches.
The team owners’ identity, but for the Galle Gladiators, is yet to be revealed. However, the league promoters have issued a media note about the player draft.
Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews, former South Africa limited-overs skipper Faf du Plessis and West Indies all-rounder with more than 300 T20 matches under his belt, Andre Russel are some of the top names picked by the Colombo Kings in the Lanka Premier League Player’s Draft today (Monday). Mathews is the ‘Local Icon’ in the team while du Plessis and Russel are the two overseas icons.
Sri Lanka-born former Australian players and coach, Dav Whatmore, the man who took Sri Lanka to the top of the world in limited-overs cricket when they won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996, is part of the coaching set-up of the Colombo franchisee in the League. Apart from Sri Lanka, Whatmore has coached Pakistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
Among others, Kandy Tuskers picked up Kushal Janith as the ‘Local Icon’ while Chris Gayle and Liam Plunkett were picked as the two overseas signing. The team will be coached by Hashan Tilakratne.
Galle Gladiators, owned by the Pakistan Super League side Quetta Gladiators franchisees, have Lasith Malinga as the Local Icon while Shahid Afridi and Colin Ingram are the two overseas signing. The team will be coached by Moin Khan.
Dashun Shanka is the Local Icon for Dambulla Hawks while David Miller and Carlos Brathwaite are the overseas signing. The Hawks team will be coached by Jon Lewis.
Meanwhile, Jaffna Stallions have Thisara Perera as the Local Icon and Dawid Malan and Wanindu Hasaranga as the overseas signing.
The Draft was held online and attended by IPG CEO Mr Anil Mohan, Sri Lanka Cricket Vice President Ravin Wickramaratne, SLC CEO Ashley de Silva, franchisee owners and head coaches of each teams.
The Lanka Premier League is scheduled to be played from November 21 to December 13, 2020 at two venues — Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy and Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota. Teams will compete in 23 matches over a 15-day period for the title.
The organisers also did not release the teams’ complete line-ups and other financial details.