By CricketCountry Staff
To cash on the popularity of the newest form in cricket, the Premier T20 competition Indian Premier League (IPL), the Sri Lankan cricket board announced the launch of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL). The eighteen day tournament is scheduled to begin from July 19 and end on August 4.
Published: May 12, 2011, 06:17 PM (IST)
Edited: May 12, 2011, 06:17 PM (IST)
Keiron Pollard is one of the signed player for Sri Lankan Premier League © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
Mumbai: May 12, 2011
To cash on the popularity of the newest form in cricket, the Premier T20 competition Indian Premier League (IPL), the Sri Lankan cricket board announced the launch of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL). The eighteen day tournament is scheduled to begin from July 19 and end on August 4.
Most of the SLPL features are similar to the IPL. The seven teams viz. Kandurata Kites, Nagenahira Nagas, Ruhuna Rhinos, Basnahira Bears, Uthura Oryxes, Uva Unicorns and Wayamba Wolves will play each other once and the top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals. The winner of this tournament will qualify for the Champions League T20.
The seven teams are allowed to have five foreign players in their squad out of which a maximum of four can be a part of the playing eleven for a game. Thus, a playing eleven should feature at least seven Sri Lankan players out of which one has to be an under 21 player.
The tournament will feature international stars turning up for the seven participating provinces.
Several international cricketers had been approached to be a part of the league. Shahid Afridi, Chris Gayle, Keiron Pollard and Herschelle Gibbs are said to have already signed the contract. Afridi has stated that he has been approached and accepted an offer to lead one of the teams.
Many other Pakistan internationals are expected to be a part of the league as the Pakistan team does not have any matches scheduled during the period slated for the SLPL. Ireland star Kevin O’Brien is also said to have accepted an offer to join one of the seven teams after he joined English county Gloucestershire.
The Sri Lankan board has announced that they may add two more teams after a few years.
“Twenty20s massive popularity and status as the most exciting and entertaining format of cricket will be further enhanced by this newest tournament to the world of cricket”, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.
Somerset Entertainment, a Singapore based company has bagged the rights to run the tournament for five years.
Like the IPL, the event will feature two games a day – 4 pm and 8 pm. If there is just one game scheduled it will start at 8 pm. All the games would be played at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and will be telecast world over.
This development emerges in the backdrop of the country versus club debate mainly revolving around the Sri Lankan players who were asked to leave the IPL early to report in time for Sri Lanka’s tour to England. Earlier this week the Sri Lankan interim coach Stuart Law had called the Indian Premier League “a can of worms” and had called for an IPL window so that the island nation does not lose its players to the cash rich T20 league.
