The second edition of the Lanka Premier League has been postponed to November-December due to the unavailability of foreign players, the country’s cricket board said on Friday.

The T20 league was scheduled to begin from July 29 but has been postponed to November 19 to December 12

“The Governing Council of the Lanka Premier League is of the view that rescheduling the tournament will enable more players from leading cricket-playing nations to take part in the league,” Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.

“The Council made this decision after assessing that at least one similar premier league and several international tours will be played among the cricketing nations during August 2021, during the period, which the LPL 2nd edition was expected to be played.”

According to a list released by SLC earlier this month, Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, South Africa white-ball captain Temba Bavuma, West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran, and No.1-ranked T20I bowler Tabraiz Shamsi were among the players who had signed up for the event.

The decision follows a long-running dispute between Sri Lankan players and the country’s cricket authority (SLC) over national contracts, which ended on Wednesday with 29 of the 30 players signing up for the India series.

According to a report, the LPL is also “without three of the five franchises that competed in the inaugural season last year.”

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