Manvinder Bisla, Manpreet Gony picked by Colombo Kings in LPL 2020 draft
Bisla was picked by Colombo Kings in the LPL draft
|Retired Indian cricketers Manvinder Bisla and Manpreet Gony, on Monday, were drafted by Colombo Kings for the 2020 edition of the Lanka Premier League. The draft on Monday saw five franchises pick a host of big names, with Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Faf du Plessis being the most prominent ones.
In what can be considered a rather nostalgic throwback for the Indian fans, yesteryear stars of the Indian Premier League Manvinder Bisla and Manpreet Gony became the only two Indians to be picked in the draft for the 2020 edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL). Bisla and Gony, 35 and 36 respectively, both of whom are now retired, were snapped up in the draft on Monday by the Colombo Kings and will both turn up for the same franchise in the inaugural season of LPL. The duo will feature in the same side as Andre Russell, Faf du Plessis and Angelo Mathews, all three of whom were also drafted on Monday.Â
A host of big names were picked by teams in the mega âvirtual draftâ held on Monday, which saw franchises pick the desired players over the internet. Chris Gayle (Kandy Tuskers), Shahid Afridi (Galle Gladiators), David Miller and Carlos Brathwaite (Dambulla Hawks), Dawid Malan and Shoaib Malik (Jaffna Stallions) were among the biggest names that were drafted on Monday.Â
According to an ESPNCricinfo report, the whole draft process was âhaphazardâ, with even one of the franchises accidentally picking New Zealandâs Todd Astle, who had in fact withdrawn his name no less than two weeks ago. There is believed to have been major misunderstandings in the draft, where selectors apparently dropped in and out of the video call. Despite the chaos, though, the organizers managed to pull it off, with each team having picked between 16-20 players for their sides.
The inaugural edition of the LPL will be played November 21 and December 13, with the first phase of the competition set to be held at the Sooriyawewa stadium.
Squads
Jaffna Stallions: Thisara Perera, Dawid Malan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shoaib Malik, Usman Shinwari, Avishka Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva, Suranga Lakmal, Binura Fernando, Asif Ali, Minod Bhanuka, Chaturanga de Silva, Mahesh Theekshana, Charith Asalanka, Nuvinidu Fernando, Kanagaratnam Kapilraj, Theivendiram Dinoshan, Yiyakanth Yiyaskanth
Dambulla Hawks: Dasun Shanaka, David Miller, Carlos Brathwaite, Samit Patel, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Lahiru Kumara, Oshada Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Paul Stirling, Lahiru Madushanka, Upul Tharanga, Angelo Perera, Ramesh Mendis, Pulina Tharanga, Ashen Bandara, Dilshan Madushanka, Sachindu Colombage
Kandy Tuskers: Chris Gayle, Kusal Perera, Liam Plunkett, Wahab Riaz, Kusal Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Seekkuge Prasanna, Asela Gunaratne, Naveen-Ul-Haq, Kamindu Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Priyamal Perera, Kavishka Anjula, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lahiru Samarakoon, Nishan Fernando, Chamika Edirisinghe, Ishan Jayaratne
Colombo Kings: Andre Russell, Faf du Plessis, Angelo Mathews, Manpreet Singh Gony, Manvinder Bisla, Isuru Udana, Dinesh Chandimal, Amila Aponso, Ravinderpal Singh, Ashan Priyanjan, Dushmantha Chameera, Jeffrey Vandersay, Thikshila de Silva, Tharindu Kaushal, Lahiru Udara, Himesh Ramanayake, Kalana Perera, Tharindu Rathnayaka, Navod Paranawithana
Galle Gladiators: Lasith Malinga, Shahid Afridi, Colin Ingram, Mohammad Amir, Hazratullah Zazai, Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Akila Dananjaya, Milinda Siriwardana, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Azam Khan, Lakshan Sandakan, Shehan Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Mohomed Shiraz, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Chanaka Ruwansiri, Sahan Arachchi
