The comprehensive players’ draft for the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) concluded in Colombo, Sri Lanka, resulting in the selection of two additional Bangladeshi cricketers, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Hasan Mahmud, by competing tournament franchises. A total of 31 cricketers from Bangladesh were listed within the final draft pool, from which two were officially signed during the session. This brings the total number of Bangladeshi representatives participating in the upcoming domestic Twenty20 tournament to five, following three prior direct contract agreements completed before the draft commenced.
Draft Mechanics and Financial Categories
Spin-bowling all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz was acquired by the Galle Gallants franchise from the ‘Classic’ draft category. In the exact same financial tier, right-arm fast bowler Hasan Mahmud was signed by the Colombo Caps franchise (also referred to as Colombo Kaps).
The structural draft framework created by the tournament administrators was segmented into three central financial categories alongside two distinct tiers for emerging and international regional talent. The specific market values assigned to each division are detailed below:
Platinum Category: Valued at $50,000 USD
Gold Category: Valued at $30,000 USD
Classic Category: Valued at $20,000 USD
Associate Nations Category: Valued at $15,000 USD
Under-23 Players Category: Valued at $10,000 USD
Because both Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Hasan Mahmud were selected exclusively from the Classic category, their individual tournament contract values have been firmly established at $20,000 USD each for the entirety of the competition. For Hasan Mahmud, this selection marks his inaugural contract experience in an overseas franchise tournament.
Pre-Draft Recruitment and Squad Construction
Prior to the formal opening of the players’ draft, three prominent Bangladeshi cricketers had already secured fixed positions in the tournament through direct, pre-draft contract negotiations as marquee overseas selections. Opening batsman Litton Kumar Das was acquired directly by Galle Gallants, meaning he will serve within the same squad alongside his compatriot Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Concurrently, the Jaffna franchise finalized direct, pre-draft agreements with experienced all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and frontline fast bowler Taskin Ahmed, ensuring their immediate placement as primary international assets before the draft took place.
In contrast, several high-profile Bangladeshi international players failed to attract bids and remained entirely unselected despite their presence in the final draft pool. This unselected group includes former captain Mushfiqur Rahim, veteran batsman Mahmudullah Riyad, national captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tanzid Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain, and Shamim Hossain, among several others.
Tournament Schedule and Corporate Rebranding
The sixth season of the Lanka Premier League is officially scheduled to take place during the summer window, running from 17 July to 8 August, and will feature five competing franchise teams playing a total of 24 matches.
For the upcoming iteration of the tournament, four of the five participating cricket franchises will compete under heavily revised corporate identities and entirely altered names following recent ownership and branding adjustments. The updated franchise nomenclature for the season has been confirmed as follows:
The Jaffna franchise will compete under the title of SC Jaffna Kings.
The Galle franchise has officially transitioned to become the Galle Gallants.
The Kandy franchise will operate under the new title of Kandy Falcons.
The Colombo franchise will now be known as the Colombo Caps.
The sole participating franchise that has elected to retain its historical branding structure without any modification for the upcoming competitive season is the Dambulla Sixers. All five teams will contest the multi-week tournament to determine the champion of the sixth edition.