The inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL 2020) starts on Thursday, November 26 with five teams – Colombo Kings, Dambulla Viikings, Galle Gladiators, Jaffna Stallions and Kandy Tuskers – vying for the title.

The entirety of the tournament will be played at the Sooriyawewa Stadium in Hambantota. Ahead of the inagural LPL 2020, here’s everything you need to know about the team Galle Gladiators.

Galle Gladiators LPL 2020 Team Preview

Galle are one of the few sides in the tournament banking heavily on their overseas players to lead from the front. While Shahid Afridi isn’t his usual self any more with the bat, he can still contribute greatly to the team’s cause with his leg-spin. Unfortunately, however, after he missed his flight to Sri Lanka, he is likely to miss Galle’s first two matches.

However, even without him, the team boasts a fairly strong overseaso contingent. In Mohammad Amir, Hazratullah Zazai and wicketkeeper-batsman Chadwick Walton, they have a solid core of stars to complement the young local players, who could all flourish under their leadership. Moin Khan, the former Pakistan wicketkeeper, is the head coach of the side, and a strong Pakistan core of Moin, Afridi and Amir should see the side finish in a healthy position.

🤩Lights, Camera, Action !📸📸@theLPLt20 @iamamirofficial @danushka_70 @BhanukaRajapak3 #HoldingTheFort #WeAreGalleGladiators #LPL2020 pic.twitter.com/QJdkNiKbAK

— GalleGladiators (@GalleGladiators) November 23, 2020

Galle Gladiators LPL 2020 Squad List

Local players: Danushka Gunathilika, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Akila Dananjaya, Milinda Siriwardena, Lakshan Sandakan, Shehan Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Mohamed Shiraz, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Chanaka Ruwansiri

Overseas players: Shahid Afridi, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Amir, Azam Khan, Chadwick Walton, Ahsan Ali

Key Overseas Player: Shahid Afridi

Though Afridi might miss the first two matches, he’s among the leading lights in the LPL 2020, and is sure to impact proceedings once he returns to the field. In the two PSL 2020 playoff matches this season, Afridi picked up three wickets in two matches. He may not be the same all-conquering, dominant force of old, but he can still make his presence felt on the field, and often, that is dangerous.

The young Afghanistan batsman Hazratullah Zazai can also be a key player for Galle, given his T20 strike-rate of 147.33, which marks him out as a potential match-winner.

Key Domestic Player: Bhanuka Rajapaksa

The top-order batsman gives Galle an aggresive batting option, but he can also contribute with the ball. It makes him an important part of the Gladiators set up.