LPL draft to be held on March 22

The Lanka Premier League (LPL) is set to hold a player draft on March 22, instead of an auction, Sri Lanka Cricket announced on January 13. This will be the first instance since 2022 when a draft model will be used in the tournament, following the previous two editions that hosted player auctions.

"During the draft, franchises will select both Sri Lankan and overseas players for the upcoming season of Sri Lanka's premier domestic T20 tournament," an SLC media release confirmed.

LPL's sixth edition was originally scheduled to be held in December 2025. However, the tournament had to be postponed to ensure the readiness of venues for the 2026 World Cup, with Sri Lanka co-hosting the 20-team event with India. Resultantly, LPL was pushed back and is likely to run from July 8 to August 8.

Meanwhile, talks have been on regarding the addition of a sixth team in the league even before its postponement was confirmed. As it stands, no visible progress has been made in that direction. The LPL has been a five-team affair in its five iterations so far, with representation from Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Dambulla, and Jaffna.

Jaffna Kings and Colombo Strikers, however, have been terminated by SLC due to breach of contractual obligations. The Jaffna-based franchise was the oldest, having been a part of the tournament since its second edition.

The LPL currently has no franchise owners with an ownership history beyond 2024. New owners for Jaffna and Colombo franchises are yet to be announced.