Sri Lanka Cricket will conduct the National Super League (NSL) cricket tournament from January 18 and five provincial teams are expected to take part in this main domestic tournament. The first week of matches will be held from January 18 to 21, with the final will be scheduled from April 30 to May 3 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota, SSC, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium and the new-look Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium are the venues for the NSL tournament.
Once again, Galle, Jaffna, Dambulla, Colombo and Kandy teams will battle for the championship, with the players who excelled in the ongoing Major Clubs League and Limited Overs Tournament participating in this tournament. Earlier, after this ongoing Major Clubs Limited Overs Tournament, SLC had planned to start NSL the Limited Overs Tournament first but due to the request of the new selection committee, they are now planning to commence the NSL four-day tournament. Following this, this NSL limited overs cricket tournament and NSL T-20 tournament will primarily focus on the T-20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies in July 2024.
According to SLC senior officials of the tournament committee, players have busy schedules with domestic and international commitments throughout next year. The Sri Lanka-Zimbabwe cricket series will be from January 6 to 18, while this NSL four-day tournament will begin from January 18. and National players who will play in the Zimbabwe ODI and T-20 series will also be able to play in the NSL four-day tourney, with a greater focus on the next test series selections.
SLC coaching consultant Mahela Jayawardena said NSL is a major tournament with higher standards. The cream of the domestic tournaments, such as Major Club league and limited over, will be divided into five teams Galle, Colombo, Jaffna, Kandy and Dambulla. Unlike Major Club tournaments, selectors are expected to see good wickets for the NSL matches. Mahela Jayawardena the coaches consultant and SLC overall consultant Sanath Jayasuriya want to get good wickets for NSL. Both of them are not satisfied with the wickets prepared by the clubs for the major club cricket tournaments. most of the time, the wickets are suited for the spinners and sometimes spinners open the bowling. This is happening in Major Club matches and this has to change, pointed out Coaching consultant Mahela and Overall consultant Jayasuriya.
The five-member Provincial selection committee have selected teams for the NSL teams and SLC is expected to release the five NSL teams very soon.
SLC tournament committee chairman Samantha Dodanwela is busy with the tournament calendar while his team already prepared domestic tournaments to give more opportunities for local players. In addition, the international match series will be held from the Zimbabwe series to the New Zealand series (from January to December 2024 including the 2024 World Cup T-20 cricket tournament.
When Daily News contacted new National selection committee Chairman Upul Tharanga said National players should play in the domestic tournaments and their match exposure is vital for International matches.
The new captains for the Test, ODI and T-20 National teams so far not yet been appointed and selectors are expected to send the names to the Sports Ministry for approval, while these days National players, especially a few National fast bowlers are not involved in domestic matches but are undergoing training. The National team head coach Chris Silverwood will continue his contract period until next April and so far not decided to appoint new coaches or extend coaches’ contracts. However, National team physiotherapist and Trainer have already returned home and SLC is expected to get new persons for these posts immediately.
Dhammika Ratnaweera