LPL 2023: Season 4 of mega-tournament to feature IPL-styled auction with five teams in fray

The Lanka Premier League is all set to conduct an auction for the first time in its history for the competition's fourth season. As has been revealed by tournament officials, the auction would be planned keeping the format of the Indian Premier League auctions in mind. According to the tournament rules, each franchise can select a maximum of 24 players and a minimum of 20, including a minimum of six overseas players. The maximum annual salary for each squad will be set at a million dollars. 

Pakistan captain Babar Azam, South African batter David Miller, Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, and Sri Lankan star player Wanindu Hasaranga are among the big names up for grabs, having already signed up for the fourth edition of the LPL. 

Before the auction, each team can spend up to 500,000 USD on four direct purchases with one right to match or three direct signings with two rights to match. Sri Lanka Cricket will be providing prize money of fifty million Sri Lankan rupees to the champions of the LPL 2023. Furthermore, the fourth edition of the Lanka Premier League will take place from July 30 to August 20 at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo, and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele. The schedule has been prepared keeping Sri Lanka's national commitments and the Carribean Premier League's timeline in mind. 

Samantha Dodanwela, the tournament Director stated that-"This year, the window was shortened because we will be playing Pakistan - we have to wait until that series is over - and then we have to release players for the Caribbean Premier League which will start on the 25th of August."

This will also be the first LPL to be held in its planned July-August window, with the first three versions taking place in December—the first two times due to COVID-19 and the third time due to the economic downturn in Sri Lanka. Despite being in its fourth season, the competition will still include only five teams. Two of the five teams, the Colombo Strikers and the Kandy Falcons, have seen ownership changes this year, with the former being rechristened from 'Stars' to 'Strikers'.