Colombo pick Mathews as Gayle joins Kandy at Lanka Premier League draft

Gulf Today Report

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 are some of the top names picked by the Colombo Kings franchisee in the Lanka Premier League Player’s Draft held on Monday.

Mathews is the Local Icon in the team while Du Plessis and Russel are the two overseas icons.

Sri Lanka-born former Australian players and coach, Dav Whatmore, the man who took Lanka to the top of the world in limited overs cricket when the Island Nation won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996, is part of the coaching set-up of the Colombo franchisee in the League.

Apart from Sri Lanka, Wahtmore has coached Pakistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

Among others, Kandy Tuskers picked up Kushal Janith as the Local Icon while Chris Gayle and Liam Plunkett were picked as the two overseas signings. The team will be coached by Hashan Tilakratne.

Galle Gladiators have Lasith Malinga as the Local Icon while Shahid Afridi and Colin Ingram are the two overseas signings.

The team will be coached by Moin Khan.

Dashun Shanka is the Local Icon for Dambulla Hawks while David Miller and Carlos Brathwaite are the overseas signing.  The Hawks team will be coached by Jon Lewis.

Meanwhile, Jaffna Stallions have Thisara Perera as the Local Icon and Dawid Malan and Wanindu Hasaranga as the overseas signing.

The draft was held online and in attendance during the draft were IPG CEO Anil Mohan, Sri Lanka Cricket VP Ravin Wickramaratne, SLC CEO Ashley de Silva, franchisee owners and head coaches of each team.

The Lanka Premier League is scheduled to be played from Nov. 21 to Dec.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.