The Lanka Premier League [ LPL 2020 ], a domestic T20 tournament in Sri Lanka begins on November 26 – here’s the full captain list for the tournament.
The tournament, comprising of five teams – Colombo, Dambulla, Jaffna, Kandy and Galle – will be played at the Sooriyawewa Stadium, Hambantota. Sri Lanka Cricket has long tried to launch a domestic T20 league, but different factors, over the years, have hindered any progress. The LPL 2020 is set to herald a new era for cricket in the country, but there has been no shortage of issues in the lead up to the competition, including the unavailability of Galle Gladiators captain Shahid Afridi for the first few games.
The day has arrived !!! Tournament beginning. Are you ready ??#vaadamachan #varengmachan #onlyjaffna #wintogether pic.twitter.com/TMLjQYrLaQ
— Jaffna Stallions (@jaffnalpl) November 26, 2020
Here’s the list of captains for the tournament.
Colombo Kings: Angelo Mathews
Angelo Mathews, one of Sri Lanka’s most experienced international players, will lead the Colombo franchise. Injuries have held him back time and again, but the 33-year-old all-rounder continues to be a stellar presence in all three formats and declared that he will ‘absolutely’ bowl in the competition, adding further value to his role in the team.
Our captain ⭐️ & 🇱🇰 icon player, Angelo Mathews, will be leading from the front in #LPLT20@Angelo69Mathews
— Colombo Kings (@ColomboKings) October 20, 2020
Dambulla Viiking: Dasun Shanaka
The franchise took its time, but they have finally named Shanaka, the 29-year-old all-rounder, as their captain. Coached by Owais Shah, the team has a strong domestic presence in Upul Tharanga and Niroshan Dickwella and proven overseas T20 performers in Paul Stirling and Samit Patel. Along with that, Afghanistan all-rounder Samiullah Shinwari and former Indian quick Sudeep Tyagi give them a host of options to choose from.
Galle Gladiators: Shahid Afridi/Bhanuka Rajapaksa
Shahid Afridi has been named captain of the Gladiators franchise, but will reportedly miss the first two matches after missing his flight to Sri Lanka. Despite his international retirement in 2017, Afridi continues to make the odd T20 appearance, also featuring in the playoffs stage of PSL 2020 earlier this month. In his absence though, Bhanuka Rajapaksa has been handed over the captaincy reins.
🚨🛬 The Captain is arriving!!!#Lala @SAfridiOfficial on his way to lead @GalleGladiators !!
📸: BOOM BOOM#holdingthefort pic.twitter.com/Y0FTvpGNOU
— GalleGladiators (@GalleGladiators) November 24, 2020
Jaffna Stallions: Thisara Perera
Perera has ample experience of playing T20 leagues around the world – from IPL to CPL to PSL, he’s seen them all. At Jaffna, The team looks like a formidable unit, despite the absence of blockbuster names, and Ravi Bopara’s pre-season pull-out. The team still has Usman Shinwari, Kyle Abbott and Johnson Charles in their line-up, along with Shoaib Malik, Pakistan’s veteran of 402 T20 games.
Kandy Tuskers: Kusal Perera
Tuskers, led by Kusal Perera, had a host of overseas names in their initial squad, but Chris Gayle, Liam Plunkett and Wahab Riaz’s unavailability has come as a big blow. Perera, the hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman, will have his task cut out, but the team still has a number of matchwinners in its line-up, including Dale Steyn and Irfan Pathan, who might be past their prime but still add a lot of value.
