Cricket: SLC decides not to send Sri Lanka players for BPL 3

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has decided not send any of its contracted cricketers to play in the third version of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) which begins from November 24.   The ogrnaisers of the event, the Bangladesh Cricket Board initially invited 25 of Sri Lanka's top cricketers for the BPL 3, but according to reliable team information the SLC has decided not to grant its contracted players the permission due to Sri Lanka’s upcoming tour to New Zealand.   Among the invited players are Chamara Kapugedera, Dilshan Munaweera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Isuru Udana, Dilruwan Perera, Chaturanga de Silva, Farveez Maharoof, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dhammika Prasad, Milinda Siriwardana, Tharanga Paranavitana, Kosala Kulasekara, Binura Fernando, Ajantha Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kituruwan Vithanage, Niroshan Dickwella, Prasanna Jayawardene, Ashan Priyanjan, Sachith Pathirana, Sachitra Senanayake, Nuwan Kulasekara, Seekkuge Prasanna, Upul Tharanga and Jeevan Mendis.   Majority of the players representing Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka 'A' and Emerging teams who are invited will be involved in the upcoming tour to New Zealand which starts next month.   “SLC has not approved the players contracted, centrally and provincially to take part in the BPL because of the tour of New Zealand coming up, which is important. SLC wants them to be fully concentrated on it,” an official of SLC stated.