The Lanka Premier League (LPL) is a professional T20 cricket league in Sri Lanka, which was started in 2020 by Sri Lanka Cricket Board. The league is organized by Sri Lanka Cricket, and it features five teams representing different cities in Sri Lanka.
A SPORTS HDTeams:
- Colombo Kings
- Dambulla Hawks
- Galle Gladiators
- Jaffna Stallions
- Kandy Tuskers
Format:
The league consists of a double round-robin group stage, where each team plays the other four teams twice. The top four teams in the group stage advance to the playoffs, which consist of two semi-finals and a final. The winner of the final is crowned the champion of the Lanka Premier League.
Venues:
The matches of the LPL are played at two venues in Sri Lanka – the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota, and the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
Seasons:
The Lanka Premier League has been played only once so far, in 2020. The tournament was originally scheduled to be held in August 2018, but it was postponed due to financial and logistical issues. The inaugural season of the LPL was held from November 26 to December 16, 2020.
Broadcasters:
The Lanka Premier League is broadcasted by several broadcasters around the world, including Sony Pictures Networks India, Sky Sports, and Willow TV. In Sri Lanka, the tournament is broadcasted by Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and Dialog TV.
Player Draft:
Ahead of the inaugural season, a player draft was held on October 19, 2020, where each team selected its squad of players. Several notable international players, including Shahid Afridi, Chris Gayle, and Carlos Brathwaite, were among the players selected in the draft.
Champions:
The inaugural season of the Lanka Premier League was won by Jaffna Stallions, who defeated Galle Gladiators in the final by 53 runs. This was Jaffna Stallions’ first championship in the league.
COVID-19 Pandemic:
Like many other sports events, the Lanka Premier League was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament was held behind closed doors without any spectators in the stadium. The players, support staff, and officials were placed in a bio-secure bubble to prevent any outbreak of the virus.
Future of the League:
The organizers of the Lanka Premier League have expressed their intention to make the tournament an annual event. Plans are also underway to expand the league by adding more teams in the coming years. The second edition of the Lanka Premier League is expected to be held in 2022, and it is hoped that the tournament will attract more international players and a larger audience.
Prize Money:
The total prize money for the inaugural season of the Lanka Premier League was $1 million. The winning team, Jaffna Stallions, received $500,000, while the runner-up, Galle Gladiators, received $200,000.
Notable Performances:
Several players put up impressive performances during the inaugural season of the Lanka Premier League. The leading run-scorer of the tournament was Tom Moores of the Colombo Kings, who scored 297 runs in 11 innings. The leading wicket-taker was Dhananjaya Lakshan of the Dambulla Hawks, who took 12 wickets in eight innings.
Sri Lankan Talent:
One of the key objectives of the Lanka Premier League is to showcase the talent of Sri Lankan cricketers. The league provided a platform for several young Sri Lankan players to showcase their skills, including Charith Asalanka, who scored 196 runs in six innings, and Dhananjaya Lakshan, who took 12 wickets in eight innings.
Conclusion:
The Lanka Premier League is an exciting addition to the T20 cricket circuit and has the potential to become a major league in the years to come. With its mix of local and international talent, the tournament promises to offer a high-quality cricketing experience to fans around the world.
