Vetted by NeuralPress's Multi-Agent Verifier for strict factual validity and event relevance. Our compliance engine cross-checks and filters search results to ensure zero false correlations or misleading content, in full compliance with the Online Safety Act of Sri Lanka.
Top Countries by Player Registration
Number of cricket players registered for the LPL 2026 draft by top participating nations.
Primary Sources
650+ overseas players register for LPL 2026 as draft preparations ...
Colombo: The sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League has generated massive international interest, with more than 650 overseas cricketers registering for the tournament ahead of the player draft scheduled for June 1. “More than 650 overseas players have registered for the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026. Players from all ICC Full Member nations, as well as several Associate Member countries, are among those registered for the tournament,” Sri Lanka cricket said in a statement on Saturday. Among the Full Member nations, Pakistan recorded the highest number of registrations with 102 players, followed by the West Indies with 75 and South Africa with 66. Bangladesh contributed 48 registrations, while New Zealand had 41 players sign up for the draft pool. There were also 24 registrations from Australia, 15 from England and 12 players from India. Among Associate nations, the highest number of registrations came from the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Ireland. Overall, players from 21 cricketing nations have entered the registration process. Tournament officials, however, confirmed that only 310 players will be shortlisted for the final draft following the screening process. The player draft for LPL 2026 will take place on June 1, with the tournament scheduled to run from July 17 to August 8. Meanwhile, SLC already announced the opening fixture of the tournament, with defending champions Jaffna Kings set to face runners-up Galle Marvels in the season opener at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on July 17. The tournament, originally planned for December 2025 before being rescheduled due to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, will feature 24 matches across four venues: Colombo, Kandy, and Dambulla. Five franchises will compete in a double round-robin format before the top four teams progress to the playoffs, culminating in the final on August 8. Tags
LPL 2026: Five Teams Confirm 14 Foreign Players Ahead of Draft
Indunil Kahatapitiya – Ahead of the player draft for the 2026 edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), the five participating franchises have officially confirmed their direct signings of leading local and foreign players. The player draft system will return this season, replacing the player auction format used previously. The draft process will officially begin on June 1, with all teams required to build fresh squads as no player retentions from last season will be allowed. Before the draft, franchises were permitted to directly sign four players under the categories of “Local Icon,” “Local Star,” “Foreign Icon,” and “Foreign Star.” The confirmed direct signings are as follows: Direct Signings by Teams Dambulla Sixers Dinesh Chandimal, Dushmantha Chameera, Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan), Reeza Hendricks (South Africa) Kandy Royals: Wanindu Hasaranga, Angelo Mathews, Moeen Ali (England) Galle Marvels: Dasun Shanaka, Eshan Malinga Jaffna Kings: Dunith Wellalage, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) Colombo Strikers: Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis All remaining players will be selected through the official draft process. New Regulations and Tournament Structure The sixth edition of the LPL, organised by Sri Lanka Cricket, will be held from July 17 to August 8. Several new regulations have also been introduced for the tournament: * Each squad must contain a minimum of 18 players and a maximum of 20 players. * Teams can include a maximum of seven foreign players in their squads. * It is mandatory for teams to include Under-23 emerging local players, with at least one U-23 player required in the playing XI. * Only four foreign players can be included in the playing XI for a match. Tournament Schedule and Venues A total of 24 matches will be played across four venues in different phases. July 17–19: Matches at the SSC Grounds, Colombo. The opening match on July 17 at 7:30 PM will feature the defending champions against runners-up Galle. July 21–26: Matches at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium. July 28 – August 2: Matches at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy. August 5 and 7: Qualifiers and Eliminator matches at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo. August 8: The grand final will be played at R. Premadasa Stadium, while August 9 has been reserved as the backup day. Sri Lanka Cricket has also adjusted the tournament window following the postponement of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, originally scheduled to be co-hosted...
Over 650 International Players Register for Lanka Premier League 2026
Colombo, May 23: The sixth season of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) has generated significant excitement internationally. Ahead of the player draft scheduled for June 1, over 650 foreign cricketers have registered for this tournament.Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced on Saturday that more than 650 international players have signed up for the LPL 2026. This includes players from all ICC full member countries as well as several associate member nations.Among the full member countries, Pakistan leads with 102 registrations, followed by the West Indies with 75 and South Africa with 66 players. Bangladesh has 48 registrations, while New Zealand contributes 41 players to the draft pool. Australia has 24, England 15, and India 12 players registered.In the associate countries, the highest registrations came from the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and Ireland. Overall, players from 21 cricket-playing nations participated in the registration process.However, tournament officials confirmed that only 310 players will be shortlisted for the final draft after a screening process. The LPL 2026 player draft will take place on June 1, with the tournament running from July 17 to August 8.Meanwhile, SLC has announced the first match of the Lanka Premier League. The defending champions, Jaffna Kings, will face the runners-up, Galle Marvels, on July 17. This match will be held at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo.Originally, the tournament was scheduled to start in December 2025, but it was rescheduled due to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. This season will feature five franchises competing in a double round-robin format, followed by playoffs for the top four teams. The final match of the tournament is set for August 8.
Over 650 overseas players register for LPL 2026 draft
Sri Lanka Cricket has announced that more than 650 overseas players have registered for the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026, highlighting strong international interest in the tournament.According to Sri Lanka Cricket, the registrations include players from all ICC Full Member nations as well as several Associate Member countries, with a total of 21 cricketing nations represented.Among full members, the highest number of registrations has come from Pakistan (102), followed by the West Indies (75), South Africa (66), Bangladesh (48), New Zealand (41), Australia (24), England (15), and India (12).Among Associate Member nations, the United States, United Arab Emirates, and Ireland have contributed the highest number of registered players, further reflecting the tournament’s growing global reach.Following the initial registration phase, Sri Lanka Cricket will conduct a screening process to shortlist 310 players, who will then be included in the official LPL 2026 Player Draft.The draft is scheduled to take place on June 1, 2026.The Lanka Premier League 2026, Sri Lanka’s premier domestic T20 competition with an international lineup, is set to be held from July 17 to August 8, 2026.
