Friday, March 29
       

SLC announces Lanka Premier League 2020 schedule

0
355
Lasith Malinga. (Photo by Michael Michel / AFP / Getty Image)

Beginning of Lanka Premier League Was in great doubt due to several issues, but it was approved a few days before by the President of Sri Lanka. In the latest turn of events, LPL’s stalled schedule is on the table, where the Colombo Kings and Candy Tuskers will lock horns with the season opener. All matches will be played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota.

The league will flag off its journey from 26 November, and five teams will put their best foot forward to take the trophy. Four of the five teams will step up for the semi-finals to be played on 13 and 14 December. The final will be held on 16 December. Earlier, the tournament was expected to close on November 21, but was postponed. The Ministry of Health approved it after holding several meetings with senior officials of the nation on 5 November.

LPL to take place in a BOCure bubble.

The LPL will take place inside the biosphere bubble and stringent COVID-19 guidelines will be followed. Sri Lanka’s PM, Mahinda Rajapaksa had earlier said that given the huge success of the IPL, Lanka would also like to host their own T20 tournament. Sri Lankan cricket was in discussion with the Ministry of Youth and Sports regarding this matter.

“After the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the possibility of holding such a tournament in Sri Lanka was in the news for many years, but unfortunately, it did not happen. But now, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports have been in discussions for weeks to make this tournament a reality as it is essential for the future of Sri Lankan cricket, ”Rajapaksa quoted India TV.

The league suffered a major loss when the five big foreign players pulled out of the tournament due to different issues. The names were Andre Russell, David Miller, Faf du Plessis, David Malan, and Manvinder Bisla. Russell is injured, and the rest of them have their own national commitments. However, now with its limited foreign star, LPL is all set to kick off November-26.

See full schedule here