Sports

LPL 2022 draft: Kandy Falcons sign Hasaranga; Rajapaksa to turn out for Dambulla Giants

Published

4 years ago

2022/07/10

The draft for the third edition of the Lanka Premier League was held on Tuesday evening, with each of the five franchises allowed to pick six international players, with one from each price category barring Gold and Silver. Sri Lankan players were available for all categories. The pre-draft portion of the squad selection, however, meant that for many of the teams the top-tier draft picks had been decided well in advance of the draft proper.

The draft included players in seven price points: Ruby (US$ 60,000; approx LKR 21.5 million) Sapphire ($ 50,000; approx LKR 18 million), Diamond A ($ 40,000; approx LKR 14 million), Diamond B ($ 25,000; approx LKR 9 million), Platinum ($ 15000; approx LKR 5 million), Gold ($ 10,000; approx LKR 3.5 million) and Silver ($ 3000; approx LKR 1 million).

Jaffna Kings

Who to start with than Jaffna Kings? Formerly Stallions, they are two in two in the LPL finals and are no doubt the team to beat. If you were to pinpoint the reason for their success, though, you would boil it down to shrewd team building, which has left the other franchises playing catch-up.

Their captain Thisara Perera, Avishka Fernando, Shoaib Malik, Suranga Lakmal and Wanindu Hasaranga formed the spine of the side that won the first LPL, and were integral parts of last year’s campaign as well. Last season, Kings also identified exciting young overseas as well as local talent in the likes of Jayden Seales, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Maheesh Theekshana.

But all good things must come to an end, and this season will certainly put Kings’ think tank to the test, first and foremost in navigating the losses of Hasaranga, Avishka and Lakmal. Hasaranga has been signed by Kandy Falcons, Avishka is out long-term with a knee injury and Lakmal has retired.

Still, Kings focused on rebuilding their core of the last two years as much as possible and picked Thisara (Ruby), Malik (Sapphire), and Theekshana (Diamond A) pre-draft and Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the draft.

Big-hitting West Indies opener Evin Lewis (Ruby) and South African quick Hardus Viljoen (Sapphire) were their two pre-draft signings as overseas players. The remaining overseas slots were taken by 23-year-old Pakistan quick Shahnawaz Dahani (Diamond B) and 21-year-old South African wicketkeeper-batter Tristan Stubbs.

Their fans will also be excited by the inclusion of allrounders Dhananjaya de Silva (Sapphire) and Dunith Wellalage (Diamond B), their captain at the U-19 World Cup earlier this year. Both were signed pre-draft as direct local signings.

Squad:Evin Lewis, Thisara Perera, Hardus Viljoen, Dhananjaya de Silva, Shoaib Malik, Shahnawaz Dahani, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Maheesh Theekshana, Binura Fernando, Dunith Wellalage, Tristan Stubbs, Praveen Jayawickrama, Suminda Lakshan, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dilshan Madushanka, Nipun Dananjaya, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Theesan Vidushan, Theivendiram Dinoshan, Ashan Randika

Galle Gladiators

Twice Gladiators have made the title round, and twice they have lost. The second defeat might have hurt more than the first, not necessarily for the nature of it, but because leading up to the final, they seemed to have had Kings’ number. But if they are to go all the way this time around, they will have to do it without their skipper from last season, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who has been signed by Dambulla Giants.

While that loss will likely hurt, Gladiators managed to retain the services of Danushka Gunathilaka (Ruby) and Kusal Mendis (Diamond A) – the respective top scorers in the past two editions of the tournament. The rest of the side has a much fresher look about it, with Pakistan allrounders Imad Wasim (Ruby) and Faheem Ashraf (Sapphire) brought in as direct pre-draft overseas signings.

Much like Kings, a large part of Gladiators’ squad-building was done pre-draft, with fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera (Sapphire) and left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan (Diamond B) drafted as direct local signings.

The big signing from the main draft for them was South Africa’s top-order batter Janneman Malan (Diamond A). Afghanistan legspinner Qais Ahmad (Diamond B) and Pakistani batters Azam Khan (Diamond B) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Platinum) rounded up the overseas picks.

Squad:Imad Wasim, Danushka Gunathilaka, Faheem Ashraf, Dushmantha Chameera, Janneman Malan, Sherfane Rutherford, Azam Khan, Kusal Mendis, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Thushara, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Pulina Tharanga, Nuwanidu Fernando, Nimesh Vimukthi, Movin Subasinhga, Nipun Malinga, Sachindu Colombage, Lakshan Gamage, Tharindu Kaushal, Sammu Ashan

Colombo Stars

If Gladiators are disappointed at falling short twice in a row, spare a thought for Colombo Stars. In the inaugural edition, they were the standout side in the group stages, winning six out of eight games, before losing in the semi-final to a Galle side that had snuck through with just two wins.

The last edition, though, was admittedly a write-off, where despite having one of the more impressive squads on paper, they lacked consistency.

On the plus side, they successfully retained the services of many of their key players in Angelo Mathews (Ruby), Dinesh Chandimal (Diamond B), Seekkuge Prasanna (Platinum) and Jeffrey Vandersay (Platinum), while also adding two exciting left-hand batters in Charith Asalanka (Sapphire) and Niroshan Dickwella (Diamond A).However, they lost both Chameera and Dhananjaya to rival sides, and there is no Kusal Perera either this year as he is recovering from an injury.

In their rebuild, Stars have this year chosen to cast their net a little wider. The addition of Dwaine Pretorius (Ruby) as their premier overseas signing hints at an overarching strategy of bringing in more players with all-round skills. Then there is Dhananjaya Lakshan (Diamond B), who was pivotal in Galle’s run to the final in 2020, Ishan Jayaratne (Platinum) and young Afghanistan seam-bowling allrounder Karim Janat (Platinum).

Janat is one of three Afghanistan fast bowlers in the squad, alongside Fazalhaq Farooqi (Diamond B) and Naveen-ul-Haq. West Indies’ Dominic Drakes (Diamond A) offers another all-round option.

In the batting department, Stars are mostly set, and the signing of Pakistan’s Asif Ali (Sapphire) will provide further heft to an already robust line-up.

Squad:Dwaine Pretorius, Angelo Mathews, Asif Ali, Charith Asalanka, Dominic Drakes, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Karim Janat, Seekkuge Prasanna, Jeffrey Vandersay, Ishan Jayaratne, Muditha Lakshan, Lakshitha Manasinghe, Kevin Koththigoda, Chathuranga Kumara, Navod Paranavithana, Chamod Battage

Dambulla Giants

Led by Dasun Shanaka, the national T20I captain, the franchise from Dambulla has flattered to deceive in the two LPL outings, going from impressive performances to mediocre ones. If they were to find some consistency, one gets the sense they could be a match for any side, but striking the necessary balance has proved elusive – though the signing of Rajapaksa (Sapphire) is certainly a step in the right direction.

Rajapaksa, the former Galle Gladiators skipper, has been a consistent performer in the LPL, and his addition gives the middle order some much-needed bite. Especially after last season’s campaign had run almost exclusively on the form of the opening pair of Phil Salt and Dickwella – both of whom are no longer part of the squad.

The lack of big-hitters has been further addressed through the signings of Australian allrounders D’Arcy Short (Ruby) and Ben Cutting (Sapphire), while New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert and Pakistan batter Haider Ali – both in the Diamond B category – further bolster Giants’ middle order.

Short’s wristspin is likely to prove useful on Sri Lankan pitches, though it’s another wristspinner, Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane (Diamond A), who is likely to get top billing on that front. Lamichhane has been a regular in the BBL, picking up 34 wickets across the last three seasons. It will be intriguing to see the impact he can have in the LPL, considering how influential spinners have been in previous seasons.

Chaturanga de Silva, the elder brother of Hasaranga, has also been signed from the Diamond A category along with West Indies’ left-arm seamer Sheldon Cottrell (Diamond B). Giants have also retained the services of spin-bowling allrounder Ramesh Mendis (Diamond B) and fast-bowler Nuwan Pradeep (Diamond B).

Squad:D’Arcy Short, Dasun Shanaka, Ben Cutting, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sandeep Lamichhane, Tim Seifert, Haider Ali, Chaturanga de Silva, Ramesh Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Sheldon Cottrell, Tharindu Ratnayake, Pramod Madushan, Lasith Croospulle, Kalana Perera, Dilum Sudeera, Sachitha Jayathilake, Dushan Hemantha, Sacha De Alwis, Ravindu Fernando

Kandy Falcons

It has been three changes of ownership (and names) in three seasons for Falcons (formerly Warriors and Tuskers), and they will certainly be hoping to be third time lucky.

The first edition saw them struggle to even register a win. They didn’t fare much better last season either, registering just two victories across the tournament. But this season, they have made as clear a statement of intent as possible, signing Sri Lanka’s premier spinner Hasaranga (Ruby) as their top-most priority signing pre-draft.Hasaranga has been without a doubt the LPL’s most destructive bowler, taking 28 wickets across two editions, while he is also capable of hefty blows with the bat. Not only does his addition strengthen Falcons, it also significantly weakens the defending champions Kings, from whom they nicked him.

Another player nicked from Kings is Pakistan’s Usman Shinwari (Platinum), who will lead a fairly light-looking pace attack consisting of 19-year-old Matheesha Pathirana (Diamond B) and seam-bowling allrounders Carlos Brathwaite (Ruby), Chamika Karunaratne (Sapphire) and Isuru Udana (Diamond A) – all three of whom will add power-hitting options lower down the order.

Brathwaite isn’t the only West Indian in the side, with spin-bowling allrounder Fabian Allen (Sapphire) and top-order batter Andre Fletcher (Diamond A) picked up in the main draft.

South Africa’s Dewald Brevis (Diamond B) and Australia’s Chris Green (Diamond B) round up the overseas draft picks. Brevis most recently had an impressive showing in the IPL for Mumbai Indians, while Green has shown his utility with both bat and ball in the BBL and T20 Blast.

Squad:Carlos Brathwaite, Wanindu Hasaranga, Fabian Allen, Chamika Karunaratne, Andre Fletcher, Dewald Brevis, Chris Green, Isuru Udana, Matheesha Pathirana, Ashen Bandara, Usman Shinwari, Kamindu Mendis, Ashan Priyanjan, Minod Bhanuka, Avishka Perera, Ashian Daniel, Malinda Pushpakumara, Janith Liyanage, Lasith Abeyratne, Kavin Bandara

(Cricinfo)

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Sports

Chandul shatters Rumesh Tharanga’s discus record

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/18

Thilina Walpola

Vetum Chandul de Zoysa

by Reemus Fernando

‎Vetum Chandul de Zoysa of Galewela Central hogged the limelight on the opening day of the All Island School Games Athletics Championship as he shattered one of Rumesh Tharanga’s longstanding meet records on Friday.

‎Chandul, who is trained by his parents, both physical education instructors, improved Rumesh Tharanga’s 2017 record twice during the event.

‎He first shattered the record when he cleared 55.67 metres in his third attempt to enter the best eight as the leader.

‎Then he further improved the record with a performance of 55.83 metres.

‎Tharanga’s record of 55.58 metres stood unshaken since 2017.

‎Current world leader in the javelin throw, Rumesh Tharanga took part in both the javelin and discus throw when he was attending St. Peter’s College.

Sports

Prima KottuMee backs Asia Rugby Sevens as sponsor

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/18

Thilina Walpola

Himpa Gunawardana, Marketing Manager at Prima Group Sri Lanka, and Achala Ramanayake, Head of International Marketing and Business Development at Prima Group Sri Lanka, handing over the sponsorship to Shanitha Fernando, Deputy President of Sri Lanka Rugby; Subash Jayathilake, Secretary of Sri Lanka Rugby; and Hassan Sinhawansa, CEO of Sri Lanka Rugby are also in the image

Prima KottuMee has come on board as the Silver Sponsor of the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2026, throwing its weight behind Sri Lankan rugby as the national team prepares to take on the region’s best.

The prestigious tournament will reach its climax in Colombo on 17 and 18 October, giving local rugby enthusiasts an opportunity to witness some of Asia’s finest talent in action on home soil.

The 2026 edition features 24 national teams, with 12 sides each competing in the men’s and women’s categories, promising two days of fiercely contested rugby.

Prima KottuMee has been a longstanding supporter of Sri Lankan rugby, extending its backing to the sport at school, club and national levels.

Over the years, the brand has played an active role in supporting players, teams and tournaments, contributing to the development and promotion of rugby across the country.

With Colombo set to host the final leg of the series, Prima KottuMee hopes to add further momentum to the occasion while reaffirming its commitment to nurturing local sporting talent.

Sports

D-Day looms for Sri Lanka Cricket

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/18

Thilina Walpola

Eran Wickramaratne’s Cricket Transformation Committee has brought in financial discipline into SLC, but their biggest achievement will be introducing a new constitution that makes SLC a modern body on par with Cricket Australia and England and Wales Cricket Board

by Rex Clementine

The long awaited overhaul of Sri Lanka Cricket has reached a decisive stage, with the Supreme Court set to play a pivotal role next week in determining the fate of the proposed new constitution.

For months, legal experts have been burning the midnight oil, working on sweeping reforms aimed at dragging cricket administration into the modern era and bringing its governance structure into line with international standards. The draft constitution was presented to Parliament and following days of debate, received the legislature’s initial nod. The matter is now before the Supreme Court, where interested parties have been given an opportunity to raise objections.

A lawyer and former cricket board chief Thilanga Sumathipala have so far filed objections. The judges will examine whether these challenges have merit and more importantly, whether the proposed constitution is compatible with the law of the land.

One contentious provision that has raised eyebrows among key stakeholders is the proposal to strip District Cricket Associations of their voting rights.

October 20 is the deadline for submitting objections. The court will then fix dates for arguments, following which the judges are expected to communicate their determination to the Speaker of Parliament within 48 to 72 hours.

Parliament will subsequently have to complete the remaining legislative formalities before the new constitution can become law, potentially drawing the curtain on decades of mediocrity, mismanagement and administrative wrangling in cricket administration.

More objections had been anticipated from those who have called the shots at Maitland Place in recent years. Although several expressed reservations behind closed doors, few have shown any appetite for a courtroom battle.

There is a delicious irony here. When these gentlemen were running Sri Lanka Cricket, they would dash to Hulftsdorp at the drop of a hat, seeking judicial intervention even if a reporter called them ‘misfits’. Now, with the very structure that sustained them facing the axe, they appear to have developed a sudden case of cold feet.

The proposed constitution promises greater transparency in the running of the cash rich cricket board. Equally important is the emphasis on efficiency and professionalism, with suitably qualified individuals expected to occupy key administrative positions rather than appointments being dictated by friendships, club loyalties or reputations earned on the cricket field.

The Sunday Island learns that the Attorney General’s Department has been providing legal advice and expertise to the Cricket Transformation Committee from the outset.

Former ICC legal officer David Becker was also brought on board to lend his expertise to the drafting of the new constitution.

For years, successive governments have been reluctant to confront the cricket establishment, despite mounting public pressure for meaningful reform. Administrators survived one controversy after another, even weathering a unanimous parliamentary resolution calling for their removal following the national team’s disastrous performances.

Their survival owed much to their connections in the corridors of power. Whenever their positions came under serious threat, the spectre of Sri Lanka losing its ICC membership was raised, effectively holding the country’s cricketing future to ransom.

This time, however, the familiar manoeuvres have been conspicuous by their absence.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recognised the depth of public dissatisfaction with cricket administration and opted for a different approach. Rather than installing a political loyalist, as has so often been the practice when filling influential positions, he entrusted the responsibility to Eran Wickramaratne, a figure from the opposition political camp.

A former first-class cricketer and banker, Wickramaratne brought financial expertise to an institution where fiscal discipline had long been a subject of concern.

AKD also enlisted the services of three respected former cricketers; Kumar Sangakkara, Roshan Mahanama and Sidath Wettimuny, to help steer Sri Lankan cricket through a difficult period.

It is said that members of the Cricket Transformation Committee, despite hailing largely from the Colombo and Kandy elite, have been so impressed by President AKD’s vision and his hands off approach to cricket administration that they are now inclined to cast their votes for the NPP at the next election. That, if true, would be quite a political transformation in its own right.

The results on the field have not arrived as quickly as supporters would have wished. Sri Lanka’s performances remain a source of frustration and there is still a mountain to climb before the national team can regain its standing among the game’s elite.

But one significant change is already evident. Those entrusted with the responsibility of putting cricket back on its feet have sent an unmistakable message: no individual, however celebrated or influential, is bigger than the game.

Even the superstars are beginning to fall in line.

That, in itself, is no small achievement in a cricketing culture where reputations have too often carried more weight than results.

The real test, of course, lies ahead. A new constitution alone will not produce world class cricketers or restore Sri Lanka to its former glory. But sound administration is the foundation on which lasting success must be built.

After years of false starts, broken promises and endless power struggles, Sri Lankan cricket finally has an opportunity to turn the page.