SLC delayed the start of the LPL to meet the quarantine requirements in Sri Lanka.
The Lanka Premier League (LPL) organized in 2020 by the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has been yet again delayed by one week to adhere to the COVID-19 norms set by the government's health authorities in a wake of the Coronavirus outbreak across the globe.
According to the Sri Lankan COVID-19 protocols, everyone who is coming from foreign shores will have to mandatory go into 14-day quarantine in the Island nation before they are allowed to move freely.
Well, the mandatory “quarantine requirements” have now forced the SLC to postponed the start of the LPL, as well as, the players’ auctions once again on 30th September. The LPL was scheduled to be played from November 14 to December 6 with auctions slated for the 1st of October.
The T20 league will now begin on November 21 while the players' draft will now take place on October 9 in order to meet the COVID-19 quarantine requirements for the players and the team management.
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As per SLC press release, Ravin Wickramaratne, tournament director of LPL, stated: “Since the IPL will go until the 10th of November, we thought to keep some space for the players taking part in the IPL, and who wish to make it to the LPL to take part in the tournament.”
Noteworthy, a total of five franchises named after the cities of Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Dambulla, and Jaffna will be participating in the LPL, while each franchise can buy up to six international players for the inaugural edition of the tournament in Sri Lanka.
The Lankan T20 league will be held at three international venues - Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, and Suriyawewa Mahinda Rajapakse International Cricket Stadium. It was initially scheduled to be held from August 28 to September 20 but was postponed due to pandemic.
(With Cricbuzz Inputs)