Originally planned for August 2022, the much-awaited Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2022 has been rescheduled for December 2022. The decision to move LPL 2022 to the end of the year was taken collectively by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and IPG Sports, the Rights Holder of the tournament, in order to maximize attendance and deliver the best possible positive impact for Sri Lanka’s economy. The LPL, organized by IPG Sports, is a professional cricket league in Sri Lanka for T20 format cricket, and the tournament is played annually. IPG intends to use the LPL 2022 as a platform to help promote tourism in Sri Lanka, while also spreading positivity and smiles during tough times.
Discussing the rescheduling of LPL 2022, Anil Mohan, Chairman and Managing Director of IPG Sports said, “We want maximum exposure for Sri Lanka, and maximum positive impact for the economy, from LPL 2022, and we feel that having it right now would prevent us from achieving that objective. By December, we expect the situation to be more stable and this will mean more foreign fans will visit and players will be able to bring their own family and friends along without any difficulties. Also, coordinating something like this is a massive logistical undertaking and we would like to be able to give the best experience to spectators, so allowing time till December is best. Plus, with the challenges Sri Lankans are facing, we don’t want anyone to feel left out of the excitement of the LPL. Thus, we look forward to a top-notch LPL tournament in December that will deliver all the excitement expected, and also enjoy wider participation from both local and foreign fans.”
The players and teams for the tournament have already been picked, with the official player draft having been successfully completed on the 5th of July 2022, ahead of the series, which was originally scheduled to be held from the 1st to 21st of August 2022. Local and foreign cricketing stars are slated to play in the tournament including the likes of Wanidu Hasaranga, Thisara Perera, and Isuru Udana from Sri Lanka, and international players such as Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim, Asif Ali, Dwaine Pretorius, Evin Lewis, and Dewald Brevis.
Samantha Dondanwela, Tournament Director of LPL 2022 also commented on the rescheduling saying, “Even though the Lanka Premier League 2022 has had to be rescheduled, due to circumstances beyond our control, I am sure we will be able to conduct the tournament under a ‘New Window’ within a better and an improved economic environment in the country, thus enabling us to hold a tournament, which will appeal to our fans, and also set an excellent platform for our players to perform.”
The new dates and arrangements for LPL 2022 will be communicated in due course, along with arrangements for live telecasts and streaming. IPG and SLC, together take this opportunity to thank all stakeholders for their patience and understanding in this matter.
