The Lanka Premier League 2026 player draft was completed on Monday with all five franchises locking in their squads ahead of the season-six tournament, organisers confirmed.
The draft caps a multi-stage build-up that began with the registration of foreign players in May, continued through 14 pre-signed player allocations and 20 direct signings announced on May 29, and was anchored by a draft pool of 421 cricketers — 179 Sri Lankan and 242 overseas — confirmed on May 25.
The five-team line-up retains Jaffna Kings, Colombo Strikers, Kandy Falcons, Dambulla Sixers and the newly franchised Galle Marvels, with the Kings due to open the season against the Marvels in Galle on July 17. Organisers have also confirmed the adoption of the Impact Player rule for the 2026 season, bringing the IPL-style tactical substitute provision to Sri Lanka’s franchise tournament for the first time.
Among the headline absentees is Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka, who has withdrawn to manage a long-standing injury ahead of national-team commitments. Full team-by-team squad lists are expected to be published by Sri Lanka Cricket in the coming days.
Sources: Newswire.
