The 2022 Lanka Premier League (LPL), Sri Lanka’s topmost domestic T20 league in which big-ticket international and local players are taking part, kicked off a short while ago (Dec 06) with a grand opening ceremony.
Two-time champions Jaffna Kings led by Thisara Perera are taking on the runners-up of the 2021 edition Galle Gladiators in the first match of the league.
Meanwhile, the Colombo Stars will be facing the Kandy Falcons later today at 07:30 p.m.
The series will continue until December 23, with matches being played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota, the Pallekelle Cricket Stadium in Kandy and the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
This is the third edition of the LPL Twenty20 franchise, which was initially scheduled to take place from 31 July to 21 August this year. It was postponed due to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
The tournament’s first round will feature 20 matches and take place entirely in Hambantota before the competition moves to Kandy and then Colombo.
Qualifier 1 and Eliminator of the upcoming season will take place on December 21, while Qualifier 2 will be played on a subsequent day as there is no break for the teams and players in the knockout round.
The final of the 20-over tournament will take place on December 23 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Squads
Colombo Stars: Angelo Mathews (captain), Charith Asalanka, Chamod Battage, Ravi Bopara, Dinesh Chandimal (wicketkeeper), Niroshan Dickwella (wicketkeeper), Dominic Drakes, Nishan Madushka, Benny Howell, Ishan Jayaratne, Karim Janat, Kevin Koththigoda, Chathuranga Kumara, Suranga Lakmal, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Muditha Lakshan, Lakshitha Manasinghe, Naveen-ul-Haq, Navod Paranavithana, Seekkuge Prasanna, Kasun Rajitha, Romario Shepherd, Jeffrey Vandersay
Dambulla Giants: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Tom Abell, Jordan Cox (wicketkeeper), Lasith Croospulle, Shevon Daniel, Chathuranga de Silva, Ravindu Fernando, Haider Ali, Dushan Hemantha, Sachitha Jayatilake, Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Madushanka, Ramesh Mendis, Noor Ahmad, Kalana Perera, Pramod Madushan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Tharindu Ratnayake, Sikandar Raza, Dilum Sudeera, Paul van Meekeren, Chamindu Wickramasinghe
Galle Gladiators: Kusal Mendis (captain), Anwar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Sammu Ashan, Azam Khan (wicketkeeper), Sachindu Colombage, Nuwan Pradeep, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lakshan Gamage, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Tharindu Kaushal, Nipun Malinga, Mohammad Hasnain, Kusal Perera (wicketkeeper), Lakshan Sandakan, Movin Subasingha, Pulina Tharanga, Nuwan Thushara, Nimesh Vimukthi
Jaffna Kings: Thisara Perera (captain), Dhananjaya de Silva, Theivendiram Dinoshan, Binura Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Avishka Fernando, James Fuller, Praveen Jayawickrama, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Suminda Lakshan, James Neesham, Dilshan Madushanka, Nipun Dhananjaya, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ashan Randika, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wicketkeeper), Shoaib Malik, Maheesh Theekshana, Theesan Vithushan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Waqar Salamkheil, Dunith Wellalage
Kandy Warriors: Wanindu Hasaranga (captain), Lasith Abeyratne (wicketkeeper), Ahmed Daniyal, Fabian Allen, Ashen Bandara, Kavin Bandara, Minod Bhanuka, Carlos Brathwaite, Ashian Daniel, Andre Fletcher, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Najibullah Zadran, Pathum Nissanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Avishka Perera, Ashan Priyanjan, Malinda Pushpakumara, Oshane Thomas, Isuru Udana, Chamindu Wijesinghe
Fixtures
December 6
Jaffna Kings vs Galle Gladiators, Match 1
Colombo Stars vs Kandy Falcons, Match 2
December 7
Dambulla Giants vs Jaffna Kings, Match 3
Galle Gladiators vs Kandy Falcons, Match 4
December 8
Dambulla Giants vs Colombo Stars, Match 5
December 10
Kandy Falcons vs Jaffna Kings, Match 6
December 11
Colombo Stars vs Galle Gladiators, Match 7
Jaffna Kings vs Dambulla Giants, Match 8
December 12
Kandy Falcons vs Galle Gladiators, Match 9
Colombo Stars vs Jaffna Kings, Match 10
December 13
Dambulla Giants vs Kandy Falcons, Match 11
Galle Gladiators vs Colombo Stars, Match 12
December 14
Jaffna Kings vs Kandy Falcons, Match 13
Colombo Stars vs Dambulla Giants, Match 14
December 17
Dambulla Giants vs Galle Gladiators, Match 15
Kandy Falcons vs Colombo Stars, Match 16
December 18
Galle Gladiators vs Jaffna Kings, Match 17
Kandy Falcons vs Dambulla Giants, Match 18
December 19
Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars, Match 19
Galle Gladiators vs Dambulla Giants, Match 20
December 21
TBD vs TBD – Qualifier 1
TBD vs TBD – Eliminator
December 22
TBD vs TBD – Qualifier 2
December 23
TBD vs TBD – Final
