Cannabis Ruderalis

2023 Lanka Premier League
Dates30 July – 20 August 2023
Administrator(s)Sri Lanka Cricket
Cricket formatTwenty20
Tournament format(s)Double round-robin and playoffs
Host(s)Sri Lanka
ChampionsB-Love Kandy (1st title)
Runners-upDambulla Aura
Participants5
Matches24
Player of the seriesWanindu Hasaranga (B-Love Kandy)
Most runsWanindu Hasaranga (B-Love Kandy) (279)
Most wicketsWanindu Hasaranga (B-Love Kandy) (19)
Official websiteLanka Premier League
2022
2024

The 2023 Lanka Premier League was the fourth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), a Twenty20 franchise cricket tournament in Sri Lanka. It began on 30 July and the final was held on 20 August 2023.[1] The tournament was played by five teams in three international venues.[2] The league was organized by the Sri Lanka Cricket.[3] Jaffna Kings were the defending champions.[4] This was the first Lanka Premier League season to feature an auction as the previous editions used to have the draft to choose players.[5]

On 20 August 2023, B-Love Kandy defeated Dambulla Aura by 5 wickets in the final, to win their maiden LPL title.[6]

Competition format[edit]

Each team can include a maximum of six international players in their squad. The five teams will play each other twice in the round-robin stage. Among them, the top four teams will advance to the playoffs.[7]

Teams[edit]

Team City Debut Owner Captain Coach
Colombo Strikers Colombo, Western Province 2023 Sagar Khanna Niroshan Dickwella Simon Helmot
Dambulla Aura Dambulla, Central Province 2022 Viranjith Thambugala Kusal Mendis Avishka Gunawardene
Galle Titans Galle, Southern Province 2023 Nayana Wasalathilaka Dasun Shanaka Chamara Kapugedara
Jaffna Kings Jaffna, Northern Province 2021 Subaskaran Allirajah Thisara Perera Thilina Kandamby
B-Love Kandy Kandy, Central Province 2023 Omar Khan Wanindu Hasaranga Mushtaq Ahmed

Squads[edit]

The players' auction was held on 14 June 2023. Prior to the auction, some big-name players signed contracts with the five teams. These players include Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shakib Al Hasan and David Miller.[8][9][10]

Colombo Strikers Dambulla Aura Galle Titans Jaffna Kings B-Love Kandy

Player auction[edit]

The auction was held on 14 June 2023, where the five franchises were allowed to spend a maximum of US$500,000 each. The auction was held at Shangri-La Colombo and the likes of Wasim Akram and Angelo Mathews were available during the player auction.[11][12] Popular Indian cricket commentator Charu Sharma was invited as the chief auctioneer for the auction.[13]

Each team was allowed to have a squad of 20-24 players, inclusive of a mandatory six overseas players and 14-19 domestic players. Any money not spent from the pre-signing kitty cannot be carried over to the auction. The teams also had a right-to-match option for their players, and the money for that had to come from within the auction kitty.[14]

Bidding took place between two teams at any given time, with a third team allowed to join the bidding only once one of the first two teams had withdrawn from the process. An "accelerated" auction process occurred after the first 70 names were presented for bidding. This process saw franchises nominate 15-20 players, including unsold players, who will go under the hammer.

Players were categorised into two groups, capped and uncapped. Each capped player will be able to register themselves under base prices ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 in $10,000 increments. Uncapped players will be classed with a base price of $20,000 - those having played a minimum of 50 first-class matches; $10,000 - a minimum of 25 first-class matches, or a minimum of 18 matches in the LPL or any other equivalent T20 franchise league; and $5000 - those who do not meet any of the criteria mentioned above.[9]

Dilshan Madushanka became the auction's most expensive player to be picked when Jaffna Kings bought him for a record price of $92,000.[15][16] New Zealand's Chad Bowes became the auction's most expensive overseas player to be picked at $58,000 and it raised eyebrows given Bowes is yet to establish and prove himself at international level.[15]

It was reported that some prominent overseas players including the likes of Rassie van der Dussen were not picked by any of the franchise owners due to the said players being signed up by rival franchise T20 leagues such as Global T20 Canada which are also set to clash with LPL during the same time period.[15]

Venues[edit]

R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy were selected as the venues.[17]

Colombo Kandy
R. Premadasa Stadium Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Capacity: 35,000 Capacity: 35,000
2023 Lanka Premier League is located in Sri Lanka
Colombo
Colombo
Kandy
Kandy

Standings[edit]

Pos Team Pld W L NR Pts NRR
1 Dambulla Aura (R) 8 6 2 0 12 0.793
2 Galle Titans (3rd) 8 4 4 0 8 0.353
3 B-Love Kandy (C) 8 4 4 0 8 0.185
4 Jaffna Kings (4th) 8 3 5 0 6 −0.179
5 Colombo Strikers 8 3 5 0 6 −1.215
  • The top four teams qualified for the playoffs
  •   Advance to Qualifier 1
  •   Advance to Eliminator

Fixtures[edit]

Match 1
30 July 2023
19:30 (N)
Scorecard
Jaffna Kings
173/5 (20 overs)
v
Colombo Strikers
152 (19.4 overs)
Towhid Hridoy 54 (39)
Matheesha Pathirana 1/32 (4 overs)
Niroshan Dickwella 58 (34)
Hardus Viljoen 3/31 (4 overs)
Jaffna Kings won by 21 runs
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Gazi Sohel (Ban) and Raveendra Wimalasiri (SL)
Player of the match: Vijayakanth Viyaskanth (Jaffna Kings)
  • Colombo Strikers won the toss and elected to field.

Match 2
31 July 2023
15:00 (D/N)
Scorecard
Galle Titans
180/5 (20 overs)
v
Dambulla Aura
180/7 (20 overs)
Bhanuka Rajapaksa 48 (34)
Shahnawaz Dahani 2/37 (4 overs)
Dhananjaya de Silva 43 (31)
Dasun Shanaka 3/27 (4 overs)
Match tied
(Galle Titans won the Super Over)

R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Chamara de Soysa (SL) and Lyndon Hannibal (SL)
Player of the match: Dasun Shanaka (Galle Titans)
  • Dambulla Aura won the toss and elected to field.
  • Super Over: Dambulla Aura 9/1, Galle Titans 11/0

Match 3
31 July 2023
19:30 (N)
Scorecard
Colombo Strikers
157/6 (20 overs)
v
B-Love Kandy
130/8 (20 overs)
Babar Azam 59 (52)
Isuru Udana 3/39 (4 overs)
Angelo Mathews 25 (22)
Matheesha Pathirana 3/24 (4 overs)
Colombo Strikers won by 27 runs
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Chandrika Amarasinghe (SL) and Gazi Sohel (Ban)
Player of the match: Babar Azam (Colombo Strikers)
  • Colombo Strikers won the toss and elected to bat.

Match 4
1 August 2023
15:30 (D/N)
Scorecard
Jaffna Kings
129/7 (20 overs)
v
Dambulla Aura
132/2 (16.2 overs)
Charith Asalanka 56 (52)
Binura Fernando 2/27 (4 overs)
Dambulla Aura won by 8 wickets
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Ravindra Kottahachchi (SL) and Raveendra Wimalasiri (SL)
Player of the match: Avishka Fernando (Dambulla Aura)
  • Jaffna Kings won the toss and elected to bat.

Match 5
1 August 2023
19:30 (D/N)
Scorecard
Galle Titans
180/5 (20 overs)
v
B-Love Kandy
97 (17.1 overs)
Tim Seifert 74 (39)
Mohammad Hasnain 1/26 (4 overs)
Ashen Bandara 27 (19)
Kasun Rajitha 2/8 (2 overs)
Galle Titans won by 83 runs
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Chamara de Soysa (SL) and Gazi Sohel (Ban)
Player of the match: Tim Seifert (Galle Titans)
  • Galle Titans won the toss and elected to bat.

Match 6
4 August 2023
15:00 (D/N)
Scorecard
Dambulla Aura
156/6 (20 overs)
v
B-Love Kandy
160/3 (18.3 overs)
Dhananjaya de Silva 61 (39)
Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2/17 (4 overs)
Dinesh Chandimal 48 (29)
Dhananjaya de Silva 1/16 (3 overs)
B-Love Kandy won by 7 wickets
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Umpires: Prageeth Rambukwella (SL) and Gazi Sohel (Ban)
Player of the match: Mujeeb Ur Rahman (B-Love Kandy)
  • Dambulla Aura won the toss and elected to bat.

Match 7
4 August 2023
19:30 (D/N)
Scorecard
Galle Titans
117/9 (20 overs)
v
Jaffna Kings
120/2 (12.4 overs)
Dasun Shanaka 30 (24)
Dunith Wellalage 4/10 (4 overs)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz 54 (39)
Shakib Al Hasan 2/31 (4 overs)
Jaffna Kings won by 8 wickets
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL) and Raveendra Wimalasiri (SL)
Player of the match: Dunith Wellalage (Jaffna Kings)
  • Galle Titans won the toss and elected to bat.

Match 8
5 August 2023
15:00
Scorecard
Dambulla Aura
192/6 (20 overs)
v
Colombo Strikers
182/4 (20 overs)
Kusal Mendis 87 (46)
Matheesha Pathirana 3/31 (4 overs)
Nuwanidu Fernando 56* (39)
Noor Ahmad 2/34 (4 overs)
Dambulla Aura won by 10 runs
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Umpires: Ravindra Kottahachchi (SL) and Gazi Sohel (Ban)
Player of the match: Kusal Mendis (Dambulla Aura)
  • Colombo Strikers won the toss and elected to field.

Match 9
5 August 2023
19:30
Scorecard
B-Love Kandy
117/9 (20 overs)
v
Jaffna Kings
118/2 (13 overs)
Dunith Wellalage 38* (27)
Wanindu Hasaranga 3/9 (4 overs)
Wanindu Hasaranga 52* (22)
Nandre Burger 1/17 (2 overs)
B-Love Kandy won by 8 wickets
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)
Player of the match: Wanindu Hasaranga (B-Love Kandy)
  • B-Love Kandy won the toss and elected to field.

Match 10
7 August 2023
15:00
Scorecard
Galle Titans
188/3 (20 overs)
v
Colombo Strikers
189/3 (19.5 overs)
Tim Seifert 54* (35)
Lakshan Sandakan 1/29 (4 overs)
Babar Azam 104 (59)
Tabraiz Shamsi 2/27 (4 overs)
Colombo Strikers won by 7 wickets
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL) and Prageeth Rambukwella (SL)
Player of the match: Babar Azam (Colombo Strikers)
  • Colombo Strikers won the toss and elected to field.

Match 11
7 August 2023
19:30
Scorecard
Dambulla Aura
134/8 (20 overs)
v
Jaffna Kings
125/7 (20 overs)
Kusal Perera 41 (36)
Shoaib Malik 2/13 (4 overs)
Shoaib Malik 74* (53)
Hasan Ali 3/20 (4 overs)
Dambulla Aura won by 9 runs
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Umpires: Chamara de Soysa (SL) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)
Player of the match: Hasan Ali (Dambulla Aura)
  • Jaffna Kings won the toss and elected to field.

Match 12
8 August 2023
15:00
Scorecard
B-Love Kandy
203/5 (20 overs)
v
Galle Titans
114 (16.4 overs)
Wanindu Hasaranga 64 (27)
Lahiru Samarakoon 2/31 (4 overs)
Lahiru Samarakoon 36 (25)
Wanindu Hasaranga 4/17 (3.4 overs)
B-Love Kandy won by 89 runs
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL) and Ravindra Kottahachchi (SL)
Player of the match: Wanindu Hasaranga (B-Love Kandy)
  • Galle Titans won the toss and elected to field.

Match 13
8 August 2023
19:30
Scorecard
Colombo Strikers
146/8 (20 overs)
v
Jaffna Kings
150/4 (14.3 overs)
Pathum Nissanka 36 (25)
Dunith Wellalage 2/9 (3 overs)
Nishan Madushka 46 (32)
Naseem Shah 2/22 (3.3 overs)
Jaffna Kings won by 6 wickets
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Umpires: Chandrika Amarasinghe (SL) and Lyndon Hannibal (SL)
Player of the match: Dunith Wellalage (Jaffna Kings)
  • Colombo Strikers won the toss and elected to bat.

Match 14
11 August 2023
19:30
Scorecard
Galle Titans
133/9 (20 overs)
v
Dambulla Aura
134/3 (17.4 overs)
Dasun Shanaka 36 (26)
Dushan Hemantha 2/31 (4 overs)
Avishka Fernando 70* (49)
Lahiru Kumara 2/31 (4 overs)
Dambulla Aura won by 7 wickets
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Chandrika Amarasinghe (SL) and Prageeth Rambukwella (SL)
Player of the match: Avishka Fernando (Dambulla Aura)
  • Dambulla Aura won the toss and elected to field.

Match 15
12 August 2023
15:00
Scorecard
B-Love Kandy
178/8 (20 overs)
v
Jaffna Kings
170/6 (20 overs)
Mohammad Haris 81 (51)
Nuwan Thushara 3/31 (4 overs)
Shoaib Malik 55* (37)
Angelo Mathews 3/10 (3 overs)
B-Love Kandy won by 8 runs
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Chamara de Soysa (SL) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)
Player of the match: Mohammad Haris (B-Love Kandy)
  • B-Love Kandy won the toss and elected to field.

Match 16
12 August 2023
19:30
Scorecard
Dambulla Aura
166/5 (20 overs)
v
Colombo Strikers
116 (19.4 overs)
Ben McDermott 69* (46)
Matheesha Pathirana 2/36 (4 overs)
Nuwanidu Fernando 21 (20)
Hasan Ali 3/16 (4 overs)
Dambulla Aura won by 50 runs
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Lyndon Hannibal (SL) and Ranmore Martinesz (SL)
Player of the match: Ben McDermott (Dambulla Aura)
  • Dambulla Aura won the toss and elected to bat.

Match 17
13 August 2023
15:00
Scorecard
Jaffna Kings
89 (20 overs)
v
Galle Titans
90/3 (13.3 overs)
Dunith Wellalage 22 (31)
Kasun Rajitha 4/20 (4 overs)
Tim Seifert 55 (42)
Shoaib Malik 1/2 (0.3 overs)
Galle Titans won by 7 wickets
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Ravindra Kottahachchi (SL) and Raveendra Wimalasiri (SL)
Player of the match: Kasun Rajitha (Galle Titans)
  • Jaffna Kings won the toss and elected to bat.

Match 18
13 August 2023
19:30
Scorecard
Colombo Strikers
169/9 (20 overs)
v
B-Love Kandy
160/8 (20 overs)
Pathum Nissanka 51 (38)
Wanindu Hasaranga 2/21 (4 overs)
Wanindu Hasaranga 40 (21)
Matheesha Pathirana 2/32 (4 overs)
Colombo Strikers won by 9 runs
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Ranmore Martinesz (SL) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)
Player of the match: Pathum Nissanka (Colombo Strikers)
  • Colombo Strikers won the toss and elected to bat.

Match 19
14 August 2023
19:30
Scorecard
Dambulla Aura
162/7 (20 overs)
v
B-Love Kandy
142 (19.4 overs)
Avishka Fernando 41 (27)
Nuwan Pradeep 3/35 (4 overs)
Dambulla Aura won by 20 runs
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pak) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)
Player of the match: Dhananjaya de Silva (Dambulla Aura)
  • B-Love Kandy won the toss and elected to field.

Match 20
15 August 2023
19:30
Scorecard
Colombo Strikers
74 (15.4 overs)
v
Galle Titans
75/2 (8.3 overs)
Nuwanidu Fernando 14 (11)
Tabraiz Shamsi 4/20 (4 overs)
Lasith Croospulle 42* (25)
Jeffrey Vandersay 1/18 (3 overs)
Galle Titans won by 8 wickets
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pak) and Lyndon Hannibal (SL)
Player of the match: Tabraiz Shamsi (Galle Titans)
  • Galle Titans won the toss and elected to field.

Playoffs[edit]

Qualifier 1 / EliminatorQualifier 2Final
17 August 2023 — Colombo20 August 2023 — Colombo
1Dambulla Aura147/4 (19.4 overs)Q1WDambulla Aura147/4 (20 overs)
2Galle Titans146 (20 overs)19 August 2023 — ColomboQ2WB-Love Kandy151/5 (19.5 overs)
Q1LGalle Titans123/8 (20 overs)
17 August 2023 — ColomboEWB-Love Kandy157/7 (20 overs)
3B-Love Kandy188/8 (20 overs)
4Jaffna Kings127 (17.2 overs)

Qualifier 1
17 August 2023
15:00 (D/N)
Scorecard
Galle Titans
146 (20 overs)
v
Dambulla Aura
147/4 (19.4 overs)
Lasith Croospulle 80 (61)
Hayden Kerr 3/18 (3 overs)
Kusal Perera 53 (39)
Dasun Shanaka 1/1 (0.4 overs)
Dambulla Aura won by 6 wickets
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Chandrika Amarasinghe (SL) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)
Player of the match: Kusal Mendis (Dambulla Aura)
  • Dambulla Aura won the toss and elected to field.

Eliminator
17 August 2023
19:30 (N)
Scorecard
B-Love Kandy
188/8 (20 overs)
v
Jaffna Kings
127 (17.2 overs)
Mohammad Haris 79 (49)
Nuwan Thushara 4/40 (4 overs)
Shoaib Malik 31 (23)
Wanindu Hasaranga 6/9 (3.2 overs)
B-Love Kandy won by 61 runs
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pak) and Prageeth Rambukwella (SL)
Player of the match: Wanindu Hasaranga (B-Love Kandy)
  • Jaffna Kings won the toss and elected to field.

Qualifier 2
19 August 2023
19:30 (N)
Scorecard
B-Love Kandy
157/7 (20 overs)
v
Galle Titans
123/8 (20 overs)
Wanindu Hasaranga 48 (30)
Lahiru Kumara 2/21 (4 overs)
Sonal Dinusha 28 (32)
Mohammad Hasnain 2/8 (3 overs)
B-Love Kandy won by 34 runs
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pak) and Raveendra Wimalasiri (SL)
Player of the match: Wanindu Hasaranga (B-Love Kandy)
  • B-Love Kandy won the toss and elected to bat.

Final
20 August 2023
19:30 (N)
Scorecard
Dambulla Aura
147/4 (20 overs)
v
B-Love Kandy
151/5 (19.5 overs)
Kamindu Mendis 44 (37)
Noor Ahmad 3/27 (4 overs)
B-Love Kandy won by 5 wickets
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pak) and Kumar Dharmasena (SL)
Player of the match: Angelo Mathews (B-Love Kandy)
  • Dambulla Aura won the toss and elected to bat.

Statistics[edit]

Most runs[edit]

Player Team Matches Runs. High score
Wanindu Hasaranga B-Love Kandy 10 279 64
Babar Azam Colombo Strikers 8 261 104
Dinesh Chandimal B love Kandy 10 259 50
Avishka Fernando Dambulla Aura 10 244 70
Sadeera Samarawickrama Dambulla Aura 10 234 59

Most wickets[edit]

Player Team Matches Wickets Best bowling
Wanindu Hasaranga B-Love Kandy 10 19 6/9
Nuwan Pradeep B-Love Kandy 7 14 3/21
Noor Ahmad Dambulla Aura 8 12 3/27
Matheesha Pathirana Colambo Strikers 8 12 3/24
Tabraiz Shamsi Galle Titan 9 12 4/20

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Lanka Premier League to be played from July 30 to August 20". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  2. ^ "LPL 2023: SLC confirms LPL to take place in 3 Venues". InsideSport. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Sri Lanka Cricket to Hold the 4th Edition of the LPL in July and August". Sri Lanka Cricket. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Jaffna Kings champions of LPL 2022". The Island. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Lanka Premier League player auction on June 14 - How will it work? - Breaking News | Daily Mirror". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Mathews ensures Kandy hold their nerve to take LPL title". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  7. ^ "World-Class Cricketers Set Sights on LPL 2023: Sri Lanka's T20 Tournament Sparkles!". Sri Lanka Cricket. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  8. ^ "LPL attracts top international players in the pre signing". Sri Lanka Cricket. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  9. ^ a b Balasuriya, Madushka (23 May 2023). "LPL Season 4 to have IPL-style auction for the five squads". espncricinfo. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  10. ^ Witney, Katya (23 May 2023). "LPL 2023: From Babar Azam To David Miller – List Of Players Pre-Signed By Each Team In Lanka Premier League". Wisden. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  11. ^ "LPL inaugural player auction at Shangri La Hotel today | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  12. ^ Weerasooriya, Sahan (15 June 2023). "LPL auction brings big dollars for Lankan cricketers". Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Indian commentator Charu Sharma invited for LPL auction - Breaking News | Daily Mirror". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  14. ^ Agarwal, Naman (14 June 2023). "LPL 2023 Auction List: Full Set Of Players Registered For The 2023 Lanka Premier League". Wisden. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  15. ^ a b c "LPL auction: Dilshan Madushanka becomes most expensive player". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Dilshan Madushanka fetches record LPL price of $ 92,000 | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  17. ^ World-Class Cricketers Set Sights on LPL 2023: Sri Lanka’s T20 Tournament Sparkles! Sri Lanka Cricket. Retrieved 25 April 2023

External links[edit]

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