Norlanka marks successful return of Premier League

Team Nor Wolves NLPL 2022 men’s champions

Team Red Wings NLPL 2022 women’s champions

Norlanka, one of Sri Lanka’s largest sustainable exporters of baby and kids wear, successfully concluded the ninth edition of the Norlanka Premier League (NLPL) at the Mercantile Cricket Association ground recently.

Known to be one of the most highly-anticipated sports events in the company’s annual calendar, the NLPL provides an opportunity for Norlanka’s large workforce to enjoy a day of fun cricketing action while also showcasing their sporting prowess. 

The day of sporting action unfolded with the lighting of the traditional oil lamp by the Norlanka Executive leadership and the team captains, after which the Sri Lankan national flag and Norlanka flag were hoisted by the Norlanka Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, followed by the National Anthem.

10 men’s teams of 10 players each - Steel Panther, Nor Giants, Nor Titans, Nor Defenders, Nor Eagles, Nor Heroes, Nor Wolves, Nor Royal Strikers, Nor Vipers and Nor Stallions - participated in the NLPL while two women’s teams also faced off against each other. 

The team captains and players were selected by the team owners (Norlanka senior leadership) and the team managers. In keeping with the model of today’s franchise-based cricket tournaments, the player selection happened through an auction where the respective team owners and managers bid for the players they wanted based on their past performances.

Cheered on by a large gathering of Norlanka employees, family members and friends, the members of all teams rose to the occasion to put on display an exciting brand of cricket. After a competitive league phase where the teams were split into two groups of five, the semi-finals witnessed the top two teams from each group face off against each other. 

In the final, Nor Wolves emerged men’s champions after beating Nor Eagles while Red Wings won the battle between the two women’s teams. 

In addition to the trophies for the men’s champion and runners-up as well as the Women’s Champion, multiple individual awards were presented to the top performers of the NLPL including Player of the Series, Man of the Final, Best Batsman, Best Bowler, Best Fielder, and Most number of sixes.