Photo Credit: Sri Lanka Cricket
- Gayle, Afridi, Liam, Faf, Miller, Brathwaite, Malik are few foreign signing
- Mathews, Malinga, Thisara Perera, Kusal Janith are key locals
- Whatmore, Moin Khan and Hashan Tillakaratne in coaching staff
- Manpreet Gony & Manvinder Bisla Indian representative in LPL
World T20 cricket’s biggest star by far, West Indies legend Chris Gayle is all set and ready to roar in the Lankan Premier League 2020 after he was picked as one of foreign icons by Kandy Tuskers in the Players Draft today.
The draft, held online, also saw Colombo Kings picking up former Sri Lanka captain in all formats 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, the man 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, Dav Whatmore, as part of the coaching set-up.
Apart from Gayle, the Tuskers also picked up Kusal Janith 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. Galle Gladiators have Lasith Malinga as the Local Icon while Shahid Afridi and Colin Ingram are the two overseas signing and the team will be coached by former Pakistan skipper Moin Khan. Dasun Shanaka is the Local Icon for Dambulla Hawks while David Miller and Carlos Brathwaite are the overseas signing. The Hawks team will be coached by former English cricketer Jon Lewis. Jaffna Stallions have Thisara Perera as the Local Icon and Dawid Malan as the overseas signing.
In attendance during the draft were SLC VP and LPL Tournament Director Mr Ravin Wickramaratne, SLC CEO Mr Ashley de Silva, franchisee owners and head coaches of each teams. Renowned International Cricket Commentators Mr. Charu Sharma and Mr. Roshan Abeysinghe were the co-hosts of the LPL draft. The Lanka Premier League 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.
| Sr. No. | Colombo Kings | Dambulla Hawks | Galle Gladiators | Jaffna Stallions | Kandy Tuskers |
| Coaches | Dav Whatmore | Jon Lewis | Moin Khan | Hashan Tillakaratne | |
| 1 | Angelo Mathews | Dasun Shanaka | Lasith Malinga | Thisara Perera | Kusal Perera |
| 2 | Andre Russel | David Miller | Shahid Afridi | Dawid Malan | Chris Gayle |
| 3 | Faf Du Plessis | Carlos Brathwaite | Colin Ingram | Wanindu Hasaranga | Liam Plunkett |
| 4 | Manpreet Singh Gony | Samit Patel | Hazratullah Zazai | Shoaib Malik | Wahab Riaz |
| 5 | Manvinder Bisla | Niroshan Dickwella | Mohammad Amir | Usman Shinwari | Kusal Mendis |
| 6 | Isuru Udana | Lahiru Kumara | Danushka Gunathilaka | Avishka Fernando | Nuwan Pradeep |
| 7 | Dinesh Chandemal | Oshada Fernando | Bhanuka Rajapaksa | Dhananjaya de Silva | Seekkuge Prasanna |
| 8 | Amila Aponso | Kasun Rajitha | Akila Dananjaya | Suranga Lakmal | Asela Gunaratne |
| 9 | Ashan Priyanjana | Paul Stirling | Milinda Siriwardana | Binura Fernando | Naveen-ul-Haq |
| 10 | Ravinderpal Singh | Lahiru Madushanka | Sarfaraz Ahmed | Asif Ali | Kamindu Mendis |
| 11 | Dushmantha Chameera | Upul Tharanga | Azam Khan | Minod Bhanuka | Dilruwan Perera |
| 12 | Jeffrey Vandersay | Angelo Perera | Lakshan Sandakan | Chathuranga de Silva | Priyamal Perera |
| 13 | Thikshila De Silva | Ramesh Mendis | Shehan Jayasuriya | Mahesh Theekshana | Kavishka Anjula |
| 14 | Pht Kaushal | Pulina Tharanga | Asitha Fernando | Charith Asalanka | Lasith Embuldeniya |
| 15 | Lahiru Udara | Ashen Bandara | Nuwan Thushara | Nuvindu Fernando | Lahiru Samarkoon |
| 16 | Himesh Ramanayka | Dilshan Madushanka | Mohomed Shiraz | Kanagaratnam Kapilraj | Nishan Madushka Fernando |
| 17 | Kalana Perera | Kavindu Nadeeshan | Dhananjaya Lakshan | Theivendiram Dinoshan | Chamika Edirisinghe |
| 18 | Tharindu Rathnayaka | Sachindu Colombage | Chanaka Ruwansiri | Yiyakanth Yiyaskanth | Ishan Jayaraine |
| 19 | Navod Paranavithana | Sahan Arachchi | |||
| 20 | Duvindu Tillakaratne |
NOTE TO EDITORS: The teams that have not filled their 20 member squad is given the option to select overseas players from outside the draft and inform the move, before 01st November, 2020
For further media enquiries, please contact:
Ajit Bezbaruah | ajit.bezbaruah@adfactorspr.com | +917045148657
Thilina Samarasinghe | thilina.s@adfactorspr.com | +94771114076
Channa Fernandopulle | channa.f@adfactorspr.com | +94777918218
Jonathan Kale | jonathan.kale@adfactorspr.com | +919699950560
Name of Author: Sri Lanka Cricket
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is the governing body for cricket in Sri Lanka. Originally registered as the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka on June 30, 1975, it was renamed Sri Lanka Cricket in 2003.
