LPL 2024 to be played from July 1 to July 21

The fifth edition of the Lanka Premier League will be played from July 1 to July 21 this year, according to an Sri Lanka Cricket release. This means the tournament will clash with Major League Cricket and the T20 Blast.

The second season of MLC starts on July 4 and the final likely on July 28, while the T20 Blast will run from May 30 to September 14. There was a similar overlap last year as well, which meant the LPL struggled to attract foreign talent, given the money on offer. But it has nevertheless enjoyed some popularity among local fans.

The 2024 season will again feature five teams, as it has from its inception. There will be 24 matches in all. The teams will play each other twice in the league stage, which will consist of 20 matches. There will then be a qualifier, an eliminator and a second eliminator, and the final – the same as with the IPL. Four of the five teams qualify for the playoffs, as they have done for the last three seasons.

The LPL has seen substantial turnover in franchise ownership, with last year’s owners a completely different set from those that had run teams in the inaugural edition, in 2020.

The first three editions were won by teams bearing the Jaffna name (Stallions in the first season, Kings in seasons two and three), all captained by Thisara Perera. In 2023, B-Love Kandy, led by Wanindu Hasaranga (except for the final when he was injured), were victorious.