Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan Among Stars To Register For LPL Season 2 Draft

Former India all-rounder Yusuf Pathan, Bangladesh superstar cricketer Shakib Al Hasan, South Africa’s white-ball captain Temba Bavuma, Australia allrounder James Faulkner are a few of the former or current international stars who have registered themselves for the draft of the upcoming second edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), Sri Lanka’s premier T20 franchise competition.

The LPL 2021 is scheduled to begin from July 30 and run for three weeks. The first edition was successfully hosted last year in Hambantota from November 26 to December 16. The Sri Lanka Cricket board made much-needed financial gains from the smooth organization of the tournament amid the covid-19 concerns, and are set to conduct the second season soon.

While, for the time being, many international players have made themselves available for the second season despite the covid-19 pandemic and their international commitment, it remains to be seen if they are allowed by their respective boards to participate in the tournament.

For instance, last year, the Bangladesh Cricket Board had denied permission to its cricketers to take part in the tournament. However, now, not only Shakib Al Hasan, but his other teammates, including Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Mahmudullah, have registered for the draft.

The number 1 ICC T20I bowler, Tabraiz Shamsi, the South African chinaman, is also hoping to be picked in the draft. Swashbuckling West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran, too, is eyeing a gig in the LPL 2.

It would also be interesting to see if Yusuf Pathan, who recently starred in the Road Safety Series for India Legends, would get a bid. His brother, and former India all-rounder Irfan, played for Kandy Tuskers in LPL season 1. The inaugural edition of the LPL was won by the Jaffna Stallions last year.

“Last year’s success has certainly made a difference with more players from many cricket playing countries looking forward to play in the LPL, which is a very good sign for the League and Sri Lanka cricket,” SLC Vice President Mr Ravin Wickremaratne said.

Some of the leading international players to have registered for LPL 2:

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Mehdy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Ben Dunk, Callum Ferguson, James Faulkner, Ben Cutting

West Indies: Nicholas Pooran, Sheldon Cottrell, Rayad Emrit, Ravi Rampaul, Dwayne Smith, Denesh Ramdin, Johnson Charles, Rowman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Ravi Rampaul

Pakistan: Haris Sohail, Waqas Maqsood, Muhammed Hasnain, Mohammed Irfan, Shoaib Maqsood, Shan Masood, Anwar Ali, Ammad Butt

South Africa: Rilee Rossouw, David Wiese, Jon Jon Trevor Smuts, Morne Morkel, Rassie Van Der Dussen, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Hardus Viljoen, David Wiese

Afghanistan: Asghar Afghan, Mohammed Shahzad, Najibullah Zadran, Naveen Ul Haq, Usman Shinwari, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai, Naveen ul Haq, Qais Ahmad

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