By A Special Correspondent
COLOMBO – World T20 cricket’s biggest star by far, West Indies legend Chris Gayle is set to roar in the inaugural Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2020 after being picked as one of foreign icons by Kandy Tuskers in the Players Draft on Monday (19).
‘Universe Boss’ Gayle stars for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL featured in a thrilling Super Over win over defending champions Mumbai Indian on Monday night.
Apart from Gayle, the Tuskers also picked up another dashing left hander Kusal Janith Perera as the Local Icon while Liam Plunkett is the second foreign icon in the team. The Tuskers also have former Sri Lankan captain Hashan Tillakaratne in its coaching staff. They have also picked up Pakistan all-rounder Wahab Riaz.
The draft, held online, also saw Colombo Kings picking up former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews, former South African skipper Faf du Plessis and Jamaican all-rounder with more than 300 T20 matches under his belt, Andre Russel among others.
Mathews is the Local Icon in the team while Faf and Russel are the two overseas icons. The Kings also picked Sri Lanka-born former Australian player and coach, Dave Whatmore who took Sri Lanka to the top of the world in limited overs cricket when the island nation won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996, as part of the coaching set-up. Apart from Sri Lanka, Whatmore has coached Pakistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
Two Indian players, former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batsman Manvinder Bisla and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pacer Manpreet Singh Gony have also been picked from the draft by Colombo. The star-studded Colombo Kings also have another former Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal and Isuru Udana of Royal Challengers Bangalore, the only Sri Lankan to play in the ongoing IPL.
Galle Gladiators have ace slinger Lasith Malinga as the Local Icon while Shahid Afridi and Colin Ingram are the two overseas signing. The team will be coached by former Pakistan skipper Moin Khan. Former Pakistan stars Sarfraz Ahmed and Mohammad Amir have also been picked up by Gladiators.
Dasun Shanaka who led Sri Lanka to victory in Pakistan is the Local Icon for Dambulla Hawks while South African David Miller and West Indies star Carlos Brathwaite are the overseas signing. The Hawks team will be coached by former English cricketer Jon Lewis.
Jaffna Stallions have all-rounder Thisara Perera as the Local Icon and Dawid Malan as the overseas signing. They have yet to name a coach.
In attendance during the draft were Anil Mohan, CEO of event organisers IPG (Innovative Production group), Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Vice President Ravin Wickramaratne, SLC CEO Ashley de Silva, franchisee owners and head coaches of each teams.
The twice postponed LPL is scheduled to be played from November 21 to December 13, 2020 at two venues – Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy and Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota. Teams will compete in 23 matches over a 15-day period for the title.
IPG, a sports broadcast entity who has covered two events Sri Lanka was part of – the Nidahas Trophy in 2018 followed by the T20 series to Pakistan in 2019 – are the official rights holder of LPL up to 2024.They are confident of creating a global platform through television and social media viewership.
The full list of the LPL Player Draft is as follows:
Colombo Kings
Coach: Dav Whatmore
Angelo Mathews, Andre Russel, Faf Du Plessis, Manpreet Singh Gony, Manvinder Bisla, Isuru Udana, Dinesh Chandimal, Amila Aponso, Ashan Priyanjana, Ravinderpal Singh, Dushmantha Chameera, Jeffrey Vandersay, Thikshila de Silva, P.H.T. Kaushal, Lahiru Udara, Himesh Ramanayaka, Kalana Perera, Tharindu Rathnayaka, Navod Paranavithana
Dambulla Hawks
Coach: Jon Lewis
Dasun Shanaka, David Miller, Carlos Brathwaite, Samit Patel, Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Kumara, Oshada Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Paul Stirling, Lahiru Madushanka, Upul Tharanga, Angelo Perera, Ramesh Mendis, Pulina Tharanga, Ashen Bandara, Dilshan Madushanka, Kavindu Nadeeshan, Sachindu Colombage
Galle Gladiators
Coach: Moin Khan
Lasith Malinga, Shahid Afridi, Colin Ingram, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Amir, Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Akila Dananjaya, Milinda Siriwardana, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Azam Khan, Lakshan Sandakan, Shehan Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Mohomed Shiraz, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Chanaka Ruwansiri, Sahan Arachchi, Duvindu Tillakaratne
Jaffna Stallions
Thisara Perera, Dawid Malan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shoaib Malik, Usman Shinwari, Avishka Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva, Suranga Lakmal, Binura Fernando, Asif Ali, Minod Bhanuka, Chathuranga de Silva, Mahesh Theekshana, Charith Asalanka, Nuvindu Fernando, Kanagaratnam Kapilraj, Theivendiram Dinoshan, Yiyakanth Yiyaskanth
Kandy Tuskers
Coach: Hashan Tillakaratne
Kusal Perera, Chris Gayle, Liam Plunkett, Wahab Riaz, Kusal Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Seekkuge Prasanna, Asela Gunaratne, Naveen-ul-Haq, Kamindu Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Priyamal Perera, Kavishka Anjula, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lahiru Samarakoon, Nishan Madushka Fernando, Chamika Edirisinghe, Ishan Jayaratne
-ENCL