SLPL to be played in Colombo, Pallekele

The inaugural edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) will be played from August 10 to 31, Sri Lanka Cricket has confirmed. The tournament will feature seven provincial teams, and be played at two venues - the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the Pallekele International Stadium.

Each team will be allowed a maximum of six overseas players in their squads and four in their playing XI, SLC said in a release. Also, it will be necessary for each team to field a local under-21 player in every game. The SLC will name icons, from among the national players, for each team shortly. The teams' branding will based on the unique features of the province they represent.

SLC had signed a new deal with Somerset Entertainment Ventures to hold the league on May 5, ESPNcricinfo had learned earlier. Initially, the SLPL was supposed to kick off last year, with SLC's then interim committee signing a five-year deal with Somerset Entertainment Ventures to organise the event. However, the Sri Lankan board was forced to postpone the tournament after the BCCI refused to allow its players to participate at the last minute, causing a delay in the naming of the final composition of the teams and affecting overall preparations for the event. In addition, the interim committee that signed the deal was subsequently replaced and there was criticism of some of the clauses in the contract by the parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), prompting a new deal to be drawn up.