Schedule for the second edition of Sri Lanka Premier League announced

The second edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (LPL) will commence on December 5, with the final scheduled on December 23. The tournament has been postponed several times due to COVID-19 and to avoid clashes with other T20 Leagues. However, it will finally see daylight when Galle Gladiators and Jaffna Kings ( earlier known as Jaffna Stallions) cross swords at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo in the opening game. 

The tournament will be played in a Round-Robin format and will follow the IPL template. The structure is contrasting to the format of the inaugural edition where the top four teams reached the semi-finals. The structure was not appreciated as it devalued the performance of the table-toppers, given that the fourth-ranked team also had an equal opportunity to progress to the final. The organisers came up with a new structure where the top two teams will play Qualifier 1 and the loser of the game will take on the winner of the Eliminator, which will be played between the third and fourth-ranked team. 

Also, if reports are to be believed, 74 international players, including Imran Tahir, Mohammad Amir, Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Dawid Malan and Faf du Plessis have registered for the player draft. Each team can have a squad of 20 players, with a maximum of six overseas players.

LPL 2021 Schedule (All time in IST}

December 5, Galle vs Jaffna, 7.30 pm

December 6, Dambulla vs Kandy, 3.30 pm,

Colombo vs Galle, 7.30 pm

December 7, Jaffna vs Dambulla, 3.30 pm

Kandy vs Galle, 7.30 pm

December 8, Colombo vs Dambulla, 3.30 pm,

Kandy vs Jaffna, 7.30 pm

December 9, REST DAY

December 10, Dambulla vs Galle, 3.30 pm

Jaffna vs Colombo, 7.30 pm

December 11, Galle vs Kandy, 3.30 pm

Jaffna vs Colombo, 7.30 pm

December 12, Jaffna vs Kandy, 3.30 pm

Galle vs Colombo, 7.30 pm

December 13, Galle vs Dambulla, 7.30 pm

December 14, Kandy vs Colombo, 3.30 pm

Dambulla vs Jaffna, 7.30 pm

December 15, REST DAY

December 16, Colombo vs Jaffna, 3.30 pm

Kandy vs Dambulla, 7.30 pm

December 17, Jaffna vs Galle, 3.30 pm

Colombo vs Kandy, 7.30 pm

December 18 & 19, REST AND TRAVEL DAY

December 2, Eliminator (Team 3 vs Team 4}, 3.30 pm

Qualifier 1, (Team 2 vs Team 4}, 7.30 pm

December 21, Qualifier 2 (Looser of Qualifier 1 vs winner of Eliminator}, 7.30 pm

December 22, REST DAY

December 23, Final, 7.30 pm

December 24, FINAL RESERVE DAY