Lanka Premier League (LPL) caught Bollywood attention as Salman Khan's brother and actor, Sohail Khan became the owner of the Kandy franchise in the T20 League , which is scheduled to be played from 21 November to 13 December.
Sohail Khan said that he is excited to be a part of the tournament, which will see its inaugural edition in 2020. He has become the fifth Indian Bollywood actor to own a franchise cricket team in a professional T20 cricket league.
West Indies legend Chris Gayle is also a part of the Kandy franchise, which also have local icon Kusal Perera, Sri Lankan T20 specialists Kusal Mendis and Nuwan Pradeep, and England right-arm fast bowler Liam Plunkett among others.
In an official statement, Sohail Khan said, "There is lot of potential in the Lanka Premier League and we are really very happy to be part of this exciting initiative. Sri Lankan fans are very passionate about the game and I am sure they will come out in large numbers to support the team."
"Chris Gayle is obviously the Universal Boss, but he is not alone, we have a very good team, a good balance of youth and experience, and I am backing my team to play the final," the actor added.
Former Sri Lankan skipper Hashan Tillakaratne is part of the Kandy coaching staff.
"We are extremely glad that Sohail Khan International LLP is part of the Kandy Tuskers consortium. Cricket and celluloid have been interconnected for a long and the presence of movie stars bring an element of fun, entertainment, and glamour to the whole proceedings," said Ravin Wickramaratne, SLC VP and LPL Tournament Director.
Earlier in the week, Indian cricketers Manvinder Singh Bisla and Manpreet Gony were picked by the Colombo Kings franchisee in the LPL player's draft.
Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews, former South African skipper Faf du Plessis, and Jamaican all-rounder Andre Russel were also roped in by the Colombo franchise for the upcoming LPL.
"We are committed to create a world class league with LPL and what better way than to spread the message through Bollywood and Sohail Khan," said Anil Mohan, IPG CEO.
"Sohail's love for cricket is well documented, he will not only add glamour to the whole event but he is also passionate about the sport. We couldn't have asked for a better partner than him," he added.
The Lanka Premier League is scheduled to be played from 21 November till 13 December this year at two venues -- Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy and Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota. Teams will compete in 23 matches over a 15-day period for the title.
