A new franchise, the Galle Gallants, has been officially announced ahead of the sixth season of the Lanka Premier League, scheduled from July 17 to August 8, 2026.
The team will operate under Gallant Sports and Media LLC, led by Kiran Mantripragada and Uday Kiran Namballa, who will oversee cricket, commercial and media operations. Former Sri Lanka international and coach Pubudu Dassanayake has been appointed Head Coach for the franchise’s debut season.
LPL Director Samantha Dodanwela welcomed the franchise’s entry, saying the continued involvement of committed owners helps strengthen the league’s long-term vision and commercial sustainability. The ownership group said the team aims to build a competitive side anchored by Sri Lankan talent while attracting overseas experience and partnerships.
Ahead of the LPL Season 6 player auction, the franchise said it is assessing overseas names including David Warner, Kane Williamson, Sunil Narine and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, though it cautioned that all acquisitions remain subject to auction results, board approvals, contractual agreements and required No Objection Certificates. The latter has emerged as a sensitive issue for several Sri Lankan players this cycle following Nuwan Thushara’s NOC dispute with SLC.
Sri Lankan-born American cricketer Roy Silva has been named Strategic Partner and Chief Operating Officer, while Sharath Sriramoju takes over as Chief Strategy Officer covering marketing and brand initiatives. The franchise said further announcements on player signings, partnerships and fan engagement will follow before the tournament.
Galle’s entry comes as the LPL continues refining its participation framework, including Icon-tier criteria revisited earlier this month and a foreign player registration window that opened on May 8.
