Inspiring from India’s most entertaining domestic cricket tournament, “Indian Premier League”, Sri Lanka has decided to start Sri Lanka’s T20 cricket competition called Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL). Actually, the SLPL had been started in 2011 but due to some reason it had postponed. The dream of starting Sri Lanka Premier League is finally going to be true this year. Total 56 foreign players have got the honor to play in the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League. One of the big news about the league is that not any single Indian or England players excluding from Azhar Mahmood are participating in the SLPL. Total 7 teams will compete to get the first title of SLPL.
The whole event is organized by Somerert Entertainment Ventures (SEV). The 7 teams including Uthura Oryxes, Nagenahira, Ruhuna Rhinos, Wayamba Wolves, Kandurata Kites, Basnahira Bears, and Uva Unicorns will play twenty four passionately challenged matches including 2 semi-finals and 1 final in the first season. There is no other ground selected for playing games, so all matches will be played on R. Premadasa Stadium. The five teams of SLPL will be lead by dashing domestic players T. M. Dilshan (Basnahira), Mahela Jayawardane (Wayamba), Kumar Sangakkara (Kandurata), Muttiah Muralitharan (Uthura) and Lasith Malinga (Ruhuna) while the other two teams will be lead by Angelo Mathews (Nagenahira) and West Indies player Chris Gayle (Uva).
Unlike the IPL, SLPL has invited Pakistan’s all national players. Each team is made with total eighteen players including 12 Sri Lankan 6 foreign players. Firstly, they had decided to select 24 players for each franchise but after that they had cut the list and selected 18 players. They have transferred remaining six players - four Sri Lankan and two foreign in the supplementary list. The supplementary player can get playing chance in case of an injury to a player in the main squad. The SLPL will kick off on 11 August and will end on 31 August.
Uthura Oryxes:
Nagenahira:
Ruhuna Rhinos:
Basnahira Bears:
Wayamba Wolves:
Kandurata Kites:
Uva Unicorns:
The whole event is organized by Somerert Entertainment Ventures (SEV). The 7 teams including Uthura Oryxes, Nagenahira, Ruhuna Rhinos, Wayamba Wolves, Kandurata Kites, Basnahira Bears, and Uva Unicorns will play twenty four passionately challenged matches including 2 semi-finals and 1 final in the first season. There is no other ground selected for playing games, so all matches will be played on R. Premadasa Stadium. The five teams of SLPL will be lead by dashing domestic players T. M. Dilshan (Basnahira), Mahela Jayawardane (Wayamba), Kumar Sangakkara (Kandurata), Muttiah Muralitharan (Uthura) and Lasith Malinga (Ruhuna) while the other two teams will be lead by Angelo Mathews (Nagenahira) and West Indies player Chris Gayle (Uva).
Unlike the IPL, SLPL has invited Pakistan’s all national players. Each team is made with total eighteen players including 12 Sri Lankan 6 foreign players. Firstly, they had decided to select 24 players for each franchise but after that they had cut the list and selected 18 players. They have transferred remaining six players - four Sri Lankan and two foreign in the supplementary list. The supplementary player can get playing chance in case of an injury to a player in the main squad. The SLPL will kick off on 11 August and will end on 31 August.
SLPL Teams & Squads
Uthura Oryxes:
- Sri Lanka Players: Jehan Mubarak, Farveez Maharoof, Chamara Kapugedara, Janak Gunaratne, Chathura Peiris, Akalanka Ganegama, Roshen Silva, PHD Kaushalya, Nilanka Premaratne, Mahela Udawatte, Sandun Weerakkody, Madra Lakmal, Sohan Boralessa, Madushanka Ekanayake, Yohan de Silva, Muttiah Muralitharan
- Foreign players: Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh), Kevon Cooper (West Indies), Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe), Imran Farhat (Pakistan), David Miller (South Africa), Dillon du Preez (South Africa), Fidel Edwards (West Indies), Samuel Badree (West Indies)
Nagenahira:
- Sri Lanka players: Nuwan Kulasekara, Angelo Perera, Ajantha Mendis, Sachith Pathirana, TM Sampath, Suraj Randiv, Chammera Dushmantha, Shaminda Eranga, Gayan Maneeshan, Udara Jayasundera, Kanishka Alvitigala, Ishan Jayaratne, Sajeewa Weerakoon, Andy Solomons, Charith Sylvester, Angelo Mathews
- Foreign players: Imran Nazir (Pakistan), Travis Birt (Australia), Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Ahmed Shehzad (Pakistan), Elias Sunny (Bangladesh), Ben Laughlin (Australia), Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh), Nasir Hossain (Bangladesh)
Ruhuna Rhinos:
- Sri Lanka players: Dilruwan Perera, Ramith Rambukwella, Lahiru Thirimanne, Chamara Silva, Prasanna Jayawardene, Tharanga Lakshitha, Gihan Rupesinghe, Kasun Madushanka, Dananja de Silva, Shaluka Karunanayake, Denuwan Rajakaruna, Malinga Bandara, Shanuka Dissanayake, Lasith Malinga, Gayan Wijekoon, Chaminda Vidanapathirana
- Foreign players: Shahid Afridi (Pakistan), Ryan Harris (Australia), Daniel Harris (Australia), Aaron Finch (Australia), Nathan McCullum (New Zealand), Richard Levi (South Africa), Jerome Taylor (West Indies), Ryan McLaren (South Africa)
Basnahira Bears:
- Sri Lanka players: Jeevan Mendis, Rangana Herath, Indika de Saram, Dhammika Prasad, Lahiru Jayaratne, Rushan Jaleel, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sachitra Serasinghe, Nuwan Pradeep, Dimuth Karunaratne, Amal Athulamudali, Sanjaya Gangodawila, Nadeehra Nawala, Thilan Tushara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Ishara Amerasinghe
- Foreign players: Brad Hodge (Australia), Marlon Samuels (West Indies), Tim Southee (New Zealand), Daniel Smith (Australia), Dirk Nannes (Australia), Robin Peterson (South Africa), Clint McKay (Australia), Cameron Borgas (Australia)
Wayamba Wolves:
- Sri Lanka players: Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Weeraratne, Isuru Udana, Kushal Janith Perera, Akhila Dhananjaya, Shehan Jayasuriya, Nimesh Perera, Chaminda Vaas, Suranga Lakmal, Milinda Siriwardana, Chathuraga Kumara, Alankara Asanka, Dilesh Gunaratne, Mahela Jaywardene, Dashun Shanaka, Malinga Pushpakumara
- Foreign players: Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh), Colin Ingram (South Africa), Azhar Mahmood (England), Umar Akmal (Pakistan), Abdul Razzaq (Pakistan), Kemar Roach (West Indies), James Faulkner (Australia), Brad Hogg (Australia)
Kandurata Kites:
- Sri Lanka players: Kithruwan Vithanage, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Thisara Perera, Thilan Samaraweera, Kosala Kulasekara, Jeevantha Kulatunga, Malinda Warnapura, Chanaka Welegedara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Tharanga Paranavitana, Romesh Buddika, Chintaka Perera, Kaushal Silva, Niroshan Dikwalla, Kumar Sangakkara
- Foreign players: Chris Lynn (Australia), Dane Vilas (South Africa), Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan), Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan), Sohail Tanvir (Pakistan), Albie Morkel (South Africa), Adam Voges (Australia), Johan Botha (South Africa)
Uva Unicorns:
- Sri Lanka players: Dilshan Munaweera, Dilhara Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sachithra Senanayake, Thilina Kandamby, Upul Tharanga, Chintaka Jayasinghe, Lahiru Madhushanka, Akila Ishanka, Sameera Zoysa, Seekkuge Prasanna, Ashan Priyanjana, Vishva Fernando, Dinesh Darshapriya, Saliya Saman, Ashen Silva
- Foreign players: Umar Gul (Pakistan), Shoaib Malik (Pakistan), Andrew McDonald (Australia), Callum Ferguson (Australia), Abdur Rehman (Pakistan), Hammad Azam (Pakistan), James Franklin (New Zealand), Chris Gayle (West Indies)
