The first-ever Lanka Premier League Player Auction took place yesterday at the Shangri La Hotel in Colombo.
A total of 360 players, both capped and uncapped, went under the hammer yesterday. Among the registered players were 156 overseas players and 204 domestic players.
During the auction, a franchise were asked to pick a minimum of 16 players, including four foreign players, as each franchise already has pre-signed two overseas players along with two Sri Lankan players. Each franchise has to pick up one under-21 Sri Lankan player at the auction, which is a mandatory requirement.
Each franchise had a sum of $500,000. The teams will have to ensure that they invest a minimum of 85% of the purse they bring into the auction to form their respective squads.
Asalanka, DDS, Binura and Chameera earn big
Few of the big earners this season were several Sri Lankans. Charith Asalanka ended up earning the highest bid of $80,000 by Jaffna Kings.
Dhananjaya de Silva was poached by Dambulla Aura for $76,000 after bidding war against Jaffna Kings.
Senior wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Chandimal was picked up by B-Love Kandy for $72,000 while Niroshan Dickwella was taken by Colombo Strikers for $44,000. Sadeera Samarawickrama’s good run of form earned him a bid worth $68,000 by Dambulla Aura.
Among bowlers, Dushmantha Chameera was sold for $70,000 to B-Love Kandy while left arm seamer Binura Fernando was taken by Dambulla Aura for a massive $76,000.
Squads after first round of bidding
Jaffna Kings - David Miller✈️, Rahmanullah Gurbaz ✈️, Thisara Perera, Maheesh Theekshana, Charith Asalanka, Dunith Wellalage, Shoaib Malik ✈️, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Theesan Vithushan, Pathum Kumara, Asanka Manoj, Nishan Madushka. Asitha Fernando, Hardus Viljoen ✈️, Nuwan Thushara
Dambulla Aura - Matthew Wade✈️, Lungi Ngidi ✈️, Kusal Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kusal Perera, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Binura Fernando, Sachitha Jayathilaka, Janith Liyanage, Hayden Kerr ✈️, Noor Ahmad ✈️, Dushan Hemantha, Pramod Madushan, Shahnawaz Dahani ✈️, Lakshan Edirisinghe
Galle Titans - Shakib Al Hasan ✈️, Tabraiz Shamsi ✈️, Dasun Shanaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Seekkuge Prasanna, Lahiru Kumara, Ashan Priyanjan, Lasith Croospulle, Sohan de Livera, Ben Cutting ✈️, Minod Bhanuka, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Mohommad Mithun ✈️,Shevon Daniel, Mohommad Shiraz, Lahiru Samarakoon, Kasun Rajitha
Colombo Strikers - Babar Azam ✈️, Naseem Shah ✈️, Matheesha Pathirana, Chamika Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Niroshan Dickwella, Lakshan Sandakan, Wahab Riaz ✈️, Nipun Dhananjaya, Movin Subasinghe, Lahiru Udara, Eshan Malinga, Iftikhar Ahmed ✈️, Shashika Dulshan, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lorcan Tucker ✈️, Jeffrey Vandersay, Angelo Perera, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Kavishka Anjula
B-Love Kandy - Mujeeb Ur Rahman ✈️, Fakhar Zaman ✈️, Wanindu Hasaranga, Angelo Mathews, Isuru Udana, Dinesh Chandimal, Mohammad Hasnain ✈️, Dushmantha Chameera, Sahan Arachchige, Ashen Bandara, Asif Ali ✈️, Navod Paranavithana, Kamindu Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Chathuranga de Silva, Lahiru Madushanka