Lanka_Premier_League

Picture Credit: Twitter/@OfficialSLC

In a big update from the T20 cricket arena, the Lanka Premier League (LPL 2021) which was slated to begin on July 30 has been pushed back to at least the end of August due to rising COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka. The decision also means that the tournament is very likely to clash with resumption of IPL 2021. Both the competitions would look to get done and dusted before the T20 World Cup scheduled in October. However, unlike the Caribbean Premier League, the scheduling of LPL may not cause that much of a trouble for BCCI to resume IPL 2021.

This is because none of the Sri Lankan team player is featuring in IPL this season. In addition, top overseas players who featured in LPL last year are likely to prefer playing the IPL than the LPL given the T20 tournament's credibility and pay scale.

However, the West Indian cricketers will have little choice but to choose their domestic league scheduled to commence on August 28. While players like Andre Russell played both IPL and LPL last season, he will first feature in CPL this year before joining Kolkata Knight Riders in the United Arab Emirates, suggesting LPL will have to struggle to get bigger names in the tournament this year.

All 6 white-ball India-Sri Lanka matches to be played in Colombo

On the international front, India is set to send a white-ball specialist team to Sri Lanka in July. The teams will participate in an ODI and T20I series with the host board confirming that all six fixtures will be staged at Colombo.