After IPL (Indian Premier League), players will get another chance to play in jumbo Premier league which will be started by Sri Lanka cricket board as “Sri Lanka Premier League”. SLPL 2011 will be Sri Lanka’s first premier league conducted for 18 days from 19th July 2011 to 4th August 2011. Total 7 teams will participate in SLPL 2011 that is Basnahira Bears, Nagenahira Nagas, Kandurata Kites, Uthura Oryxes, Ruhuna Rhinos, Wayamba Wolves, and Uva Unicorns. All team have privileges to add only 5 overseas players in their team. The seven team will play total 24 matches, which will be telecasted live worldwide.
Sri Lanka cricket board will elect the players for each team of SLPL 2011, with Sri Lanka’s player probably to be selected to their home region. The teams of SLPL will be the mix of domestic and international player with total team sizes between 16 and 18 players. The Playing XI must include of maximum of four international players and minimum of seven Sri Lanka players. Each team will also have marquee players and as a mentor or coach it has famous ex-Sri Lanka player.
The overseas players will be selected as per the needs of each team. Total 35 crickets overseas cricketer has been selected for it including Chris Gayle, Shahid Afridi, Kieron Pollard, Daniel Vettori, Herschelle Gibbs and many others. SLPL teams will be owned by business industrialist to make it mesmerizing and wonderful for players. Singapore-based Somerset Entertainment has got the rights to present Sri Lanka premier league for five years. Somerset Entertainment will telecast the tournament around all medium in all cricketing country. Most matches of SLPL will be played at 4 pm and 8 pm.
1. Basnahira XI (Western Zone): TM Dilshan
2. Wayamba XI (North Western Zone): Mahela Jayawardane
3. Ruhunu XI (Southern Zone): Sanath Jayasooriya
4. Kandurata XI (Central Zone): K Sangakkara
5. Uva XI (Uva Zone): Chaminda Vaas
6. Uthura Xi (Nothern Zone): Daniel Vettori
7. Nehenagira XI (Eastern Zone): Sahid Afridi
• India: Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan, Manish Pandey, Manoj Tiwary, Paul Valthaty, Ravindra Jadeja, Saurabh Tiwary, Umesh Yadav, Vinay Kumar, Munaf Patel, Praveen Kumar and Ravichandran Ashwin
• Pakistan : Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Misbah ul Haq Umar Gul, and Saeed Ajmal
• West Indies: Chris Gayle, Bravo Cousins
• South Africa: Hershal Gibbs
• New Zealand: Danial Vettori
• Australia: Saun Tait, David Warner, Saun Marsh
