Afghanistan quintet will be cynosure of all eyes in LPL-5

Afghanistan T20 World Cup cricketers will be the cynosure of all eyes in LPL-5 

• 28 T20 World Cup 2024 cricketers will be in action

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The big story of the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies so far is the maiden entry into a World Cup semi-final by Afghanistan who have five of their key cricketers playing in next month’s fifth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL).  

Their presence alone is enough to generate enough excitement in the tournament and add colour and glitz to the LPL which is gradually gaining a firm foothold in the international cricket calendar.

The Afghanistan stars who will be seen in action shortly are Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai and Noor Ahmed. Afghanistan also has a sixth player taking part in the LPL – Mujeeb Ur Rahman who had to withdraw from the T20 World Cup after playing just one match due to a recurrence of a finger injury to his bowling hand. These players are bound to be the star attractions during the tournament and will be the cynosure of all eyes following their brilliant performances in the T20 World Cup.

Other T20 World Cup players appearing in the LPL are from South Africa, another of the semi-finalists who has opening batsman Reeza Hendricks, Bangladesh three – Towhid Hridoy, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed, New Zealand two – Mark Chapman and Glenn Phillips, and Pakistan one – Shadab Khan. Add to this line-up the 15 players who represented Sri Lanka at the T20 World Cup and you have a star-studded cast for the tournament.

The squads of the five participating teams of LPL-5 were released by Sri Lanka Cricket yesterday.

The tournament will run from 1-21 July at three venues namely Pallekele, Dambulla and Colombo (R. Premadasa Stadium).

THE TEAMS

COLOMBO

Thisara Perera, Chamika Karunaratne, Nipun Dhananjaya, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Shadab Khan, Glenn Phillips, Chamika Gunasekara, Dunith Wellalage, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Taskin Ahmed, Angelo Perera, Shevon Daniel, Binura Fernando, Garuka Sanketh, Matheesha Pathirana, Shehan Fernando, Kavin Bandara, Isitha Wijesundara, Muhammad Waseem, Allah Ghazanfar 

DAMBULLA

Kusal Perera, Dushan Hemantha, Praveen Jayawickrama, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara, Mustafizur Rahman, Ibrahim Zadran, Lahiru Udara, Akila Dananjaya, Danushka Gunathilaka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Nuwan Pradeep, Ranesh Silva, Lahiru Madushanka, Sonal Dinusha, Reeza Hendricks, Mark Chapman, Sachitha Jayatilake, Towhid Hridoy, Nimesh Vimukhti, Mohammad Nabi, Asanka Manoj, Chamindu Wickramasinghe

GALLE

Niroshan Dickwella, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Lasith Croospulle, Maheesh Theekshana, Tim Seifert, Alex Hales, Janith Liyanage, Dwaine Pretorious, Sahan Arachchige, Lahiru Kumara, Prabath Jayasuriya, Sean Williams, Zahoor Khan, Malsha Tharupathi, Sadisha Rajapaksa, Mohamed Shiraz, Isuru Udana, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kavindu Nadeeshan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Chamindu Wijesinghe, Jeffrey Vandersay

JAFFNA

Charith Asalanka, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Kusal Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Azmatullah Omarzai, Noor Ahmad, Rilee Rossouw, Fabian Allen, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pramod Madushan, Jason Behrendorff, Asitha Fernando, Vishad Randika, Lahiru Samarakoon, Eshan Malinga, Alex Ross, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Wanuja Sahan, Murvin Abinash, Arul Pragasam, Pathum Nissanka, Nishan Madushka, Theesan Vithushan, Nisala Tharaka

KANDY

Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Kamindu Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Andre Fletcher, Mohammad Haris, Ashen Bandara, Dinesh Chandimal, Dasun Shanaka, Ramesh Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Mohammad Hasnain, Pawan Ratnayake, Chamath Gomez, Chaturanga de Silva, Kavindu Pathiratne, Lakshan Sandakan, Sammu Ashan, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Ali, Kasun Rajitha