COLOMBO: Is Sri Lanka Cricket living in an alternate reality? It certainly looks like it. Even as the island nation declared a state of emergency Wednesday as thousands of people mobbed the Prime Minister’s office after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled a country that has descended into complete anarchy, SLC has announced the schedule for Lanka Premier League 2022.
If all goes as per SLC’s plans, LPL 2022 will commence on 1st August with reigning champions Jaffna Kings taking on Galle Gladiators, runners-up of the 2021 edition.
As per the schedule that has been announced, LPL 2022 will see a total of 24 matches played, with 20 group stage games and 4 play-off games, including the finals.
The first 14 games will be played at the RPICS, Colombo, after which the tournament will move to MRICS, Hambantota, starting from 13th August.
ESPNcricinfo adds:
Like previous seasons, this year will see five teams compete – Jaffna Kings, Galle Gladiators, Dambulla Giants, Colombo Stars and Kandy Falcons. Kings won the two previous editions of the tournament, with Gladiators runners-up in both finals.
Much like the first two seasons, this year has also seen a refresh among the foreign players set to compete.
This year’s LPL comes amidst a packed schedule for Sri Lanka’s cricketers, as it immediately follows the home series against Australia and Pakistan – the second Test against Pakistan is set to end on 28 July – and will precede the Asia Cup set to be hosted in Sri Lanka in September. All of this will lead to the T20 World Cup the following month in Australia.
Announcements aside, what SportzPower is curious to know is whether the foreign players who have signed up will finally be willing come to a country operating under a state of emergency in the middle of complete civil breakdown. All this is presuming that the tournament even goes ahead.
