In May 2011, Sri Lanka Cricket announced a new franchise-based Twenty20 tournament in the country, modelled on the Indian Premier League. For this, the SLC signed a deal with Somerset Entertainment Ventures to organise the tournament. Seven teams, each represnting a province, were to take part in the tournament. The tournament was to be held at R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo between July 19 and August 4.[1][2]
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India refused to let its 12 Indian players selected in the tournament from participating.[3] Furthermore, allegations of corruption and incompetence by SLC and its handing over of the organisation to a previously unheard of Singapore-based Somerset Entertainment Ventures put the tournament in serious jeopardy.[4] The tournament was postponed to 2012, with the former Inter-Provincial Twenty20 taking its place.[5]
In February 2012, SLC signed a renewed deal with Somerset Entertainment Ventures to hold the tournament in August 2012. The matches will be held at Colombo and Kandy, with the seven teams as originally planned.[6][7] The BCCI has said that Indian players in the SLPL was a possibility.[8]
In June 2012, the tournament went through a major structural change. Instead of the provincial teams, there will be franchises owned by private owners like the IPL and BPL. Seven franchises will take part in the inaugural tournament.[9]
League organisation
In June 2012, the tournament went through a major structural change. Instead of the provincial teams, there will be franchises owned by private owners like the IPL and BPL. Seven franchises will take part in the inaugural tournament. Those interested in owning teams can be allowed to bid for up to three teams. The deadline is 25 June, after which the franchises will be distributed to the highest bidders. The reserve price for the franchises have been set at $3 million for ownership for seven years. Given private ownership of the teams, there will now be a draft along the lines of the one held by the National Basketball Association in the United States. In the first year, a lottery will be held to determine the order in which players are picked. SLC will determine the value of the contract for each player in advance and the franchises will be made aware of the cost of the player. The players are likely to be drafted in two groups - the first consisting of players from Sri Lanka and the second all the foreign players. The draft is being seen as the best way to ensure that players are evenly distributed among the teams, making it a level playing field.[9]
Franchises
The franchises are derived from the province-based teams used in the Inter-Provincial Cricket tournaments. The franchises are privately-owned. The reserve price of the franchise is $3 million with ownership up to seven years.[9]
Sri Lanka
Shahid Afridi[11]
