Lanka Premier League 2023 schedule announced, Final on August 20

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced the much-awaited schedule for the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 on Sunday, June 18. The fourth edition of the top-tier league will commence on Sunday, July 30, which consists of 24 matches including the summit clash, slated to be played on Sunday, August 20.

The three-time winners and defending champions, Jaffna Kings, will lock horns with Colombo Strikers in the curtain raiser on Sunday, July 30, at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium. Notably, the first couple of matches will be played in Colombo followed by a string of fixtures at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, in Kandy.

The business end of the league including the knockout phase will again be hosted in Colombo. In addition to this, a reserve day is in place and the final will be played on Monday, August 21, if an unfortunate scenario arises.

The five teams in the mix - Jaffna Kings, Colombo Strikers, B-Love Kandy, Dambulla Aura, and Galle Titans, will play each other twice in a double round-robin fashion before progressing to the knockout rounds. Notably, the top four teams in the LPL Points Table will advance to the Qualifier 1 and Eliminator in IPL-styled playoffs. 

The five participants obtained their full squads in the recently concluded auction which took place on June 14, at the Shangri La Hotel, in Colombo. After being overlooked in the first round of the auction, Dilshan Madushanka went on to become the most expensive player bought by Jaffna Kings for a record fee of $92,000 in the accelerated round.

As the teams have bolstered their squad with top-draw cricketers and look formidable on paper, it remains to be seen which side will eventually go on to lift the title. Moreover, it will be interesting to see if the rival teams push through and end Jaffna Kings’ dominance in the league, who have won three titles on the trot since the league's inception.

Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 Schedule-