LPL to go ahead ‘even without foreign players’
View(s):Sri Lanka Cricket is exploring all possibilities of conducting the Lanka Premier League (LPL), a franchise-based T20 league in August by capitalising on opportunities following the global health crisis.
A blueprint is being finalised to play it from August 8-20, possibly with foreign participation. Players from Australia, West Indies and Pakistan have shown interest with each expected to earn between US$ 10,000 and 60,000, an SLC source said.
An icon player (a Sri Lankan) will get a salary cap of US$ 60,000 while the earnings of a top cricketer could range from US$ 50,000 to 40,000. Others could fit into the US$ 40,000-30,000 and US$ 20,000-10,000 salary ranges, depending on their stature.
SLC is in talks with foreign boards and player agents to draw in as many foreign cricketers as possible in order to give the tournament more weight and value. But it is determined to proceed, even if the pandemic prevents this from happening.
With travel restrictions to be eased from August and no cricket being played elsewhere in the globe, the Board could be on a good footing. It says players and other stakeholders will be exempted from quarantine procedures but will be subjected to PCR tests – one on board the aircraft and another upon landing. There will be a final one after five days of arrival.
“We will definitely have the tournament this year,” the source said. “By the second week of July we will finalise it. This is an important tournament which we have struggled to play despite several attempts in the past. We need to kick off this year, even without foreign players.”
The Board is also in the final stages of hiring an event rights holder – the body responsible for procuring and managing the five franchise owners and running the tournament.
“They will run the tournament under our full supervision,” he said. Initially, SLC was planning to source franchise owners themselves but only two showed interest, forcing the Board to find a rights holder. Eighteen establishments had submitted expressions of interest by deadline on Wednesday while three others have shown favour towards buying the media rights.
The Board also hopes to secure a stable broadcasting deal and sponsorships to make the tournament financially viable. Except for India, England and Australia, it has been a struggle to make such events profitable. A significant majority of T20 domestic teams throughout the world are still loss-making.
The tournament will see five teams competing. Each will have a maximum of six players together with a support of ten including two foreign coaches. The matches will be played at Pallekele and Dambulla Cricket stadiums and, if R Premadasa ground is available after renovation, the semis and finals will be played there. There will be a total of 13 matches during the 13-day tournament. Each team will have six international cricketers, eight local cricketers and an U-19 cricketer. Local cricketers will be selected from the 79 nationally-contracted players and 48 cricketers nominated by 24 first class teams (two from each club).
In 2012, Sri Lanka Premier League – SLC’s version of IPL – died a natural death soon after its inaugural edition when franchises breached the tournament’s payment deadlines. Multiple attempts to revive it failed.
Domestic Tournament
Meanwhile the Institute of Sports Medicine summoned all stakeholders representing the Premier Clubs on July 1, to educate them on competition guidelines. It was a few days before the scheduled commencement of the domestic cricket tournament. The tournament was stopped at the end of the first round due to the health crisis and the Board hopes to start the Super Eight and Plate round matches on July 14. However, the matches will be three-day affairs as opposed to four-day games due to time constraints.