Deadline for cricketers to return extended

Chris DHAMBARAGE

In a dramatic turn of events Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage yesterday extended the deadline until May 18 for the Sri Lankan players participating in the IPL to return back to the national team ahead of the Test series against England.

This decision was taken following a request from India who urged Sri Lanka Cricket to reconsider their decision to recall their players who are currently representing various franchises in the lucrative Twenty20 tournament.

Earlier the Minister of Sports set a deadline and reaffirmed that the Sri Lankan players need to join the national team at least by May 5 while stressing the importance of playing for the country rather than playing in a domestic tournament out side the country.

However the Board of Control for Cricket in India made a special request from Sri Lanka Cricket while highlighting the need of the players for their respective franchises whose impression has been that the cricketers will be available until May 21.

A total of eleven top Sri Lankan cricketers including former captain Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who are captaining their respective franchises, are currently in action in the money spinning Indian Premier League which will be concluded on May 28.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that the selectors are the ones who wanted the players to assemble by May 5 for the tour starting on May 10 as they need them to get acclimatized to English conditions. The Minister added that the selectors felt the team has been playing only Twenty20 and one-day cricket for a while now and as there is a new captain at the helm they needed some extra time for preparation.

The newly appointed captain Tillekeratne Dilshan also made it clear that playing for the country is more important than the Indian Premier League as Sri Lanka will be up against England in a three Test series shortly.

Sri Lanka’s tour of England starts with a three day match on May 14 and the opening Test match will commence on May 26 in Cardiff.