LPL 2020: Sri Lankan President finally gives green signal to the tournament

Ever since the world of cricket has resumed the action, several leagues around the world, are lined in a row. One of them is the Lanka Premier League (LPL), the T20 league of Sri Lanka, which was facing too many troubles to finally get its way cleared. However, in the latest turn of events, the President of Sri Lanka has ‘cleared’ the tournament to be held in the country after a lot of discussions.

The officials of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board, including the board president Shammi Silva along with Ravi Wickeramratne, tournament director had a meeting with the Sri Lanka President on Thursday morning. Several factors were discussed in the meeting, and after the same, President Gotabaya Rajapksa has given the nod for the tournament. This meeting saw the presence of other big names of Lanka, including the country’s health ministry officials and Namal Rajapaksha, Lanka’s sports minister.

“The President was keen to have the event be staged in the country and backed the sports activities be brought to normal,” stated a source present in the meeting as quoted by Deccan Chronicle.

It has been decided by the Lankan officials that a 7-day mandatory quarantine period would be applicable for players. During this period, players will be able to train inside the bio-secure bubble amid some restrictions.

LPL to be held in bio-secure bubble

“The health ministry will now issue further guidelines whether the players coming from overseas need to confine in the room for 1 or 2-days during this 7-day period,” the source added.

Ever since the cricketing actions have resumed, they are being conducted inside a strict bio-secure bubble. The stringent protocols related to COVID-19 are being followed in each and every tournament, as laid by ICC. England was the first country to kickstart the action in the month of July, and other countries followed. In fact, the current IPL is also being conducted under a highly organized bio-secure bubble.

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan, who recently retired from international cricket, is all set to ply his trade for Kandy Tuskers, one of the franchises, in the tournament. November 21 is the most likely date to begin the tournament.