With IPL gone, SLC now focus on LPL

Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has expressed his willingness to take part in LPL although official negotiations are yet to begin.

With their hopes of hosting this year’s Indian Premier League event now gone, Sri Lanka Cricket is firmly focusing on successfully running their own franchise based T-20 competition – Lanka Premier League.

SLC has allocated a three week window for the event – from 28th August to 20th September. Although the organizers are running against time in getting sponsors and television producers for the event, SLC has received some positive feedback from interested parties. In a media release, SLC said that they have been able to attract 70 overseas players and ten coaches for the event.

The five team competition named after cities such as Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Dambulla and Jaffna will be played at RPS, Dambulla, Pallekele and Suriyawewa.

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan had expressed his willingness to take part in the event although he indicated that there had been no formal discussions with organizers.

Two years ago, when SLC had mooted the idea of conducting a franchise based tournament of their own, the board had received the blessings of Board of Control for Cricket in India to have Indian players in the competition.

It was supposed to be the first franchise based tournament outside India to have the participation of Indian players. Former Test cricketer Russel Arnold was put in charge as Director of the event. However, the tournament was postponed due to various reasons.

The outbreak of COVID -19 pandemic had seen SLC losing out on several home series. The Test series by England and Bangladesh were postponed while India and South Africa too delayed their limited over commitments in Sri Lanka.

With the country battling the pandemic relatively well compared to their Asian counterparts, SLC had expressed willingness to host IPL with BCCI deciding that the tournament had to be held overseas due to health reasons. However, UAE was preferred over Sri Lanka to host the event.

SLC is now hopeful that LPL will be the first cricket event to be held in the island since the outbreak of the pandemic. The board officials are set to meet health authorities to discuss the measures that need to be taken to resume cricket.

The bilateral series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh is expected to be played soon after the LPL.