Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchises were on track in meeting their financial commitments to players, according to Tournament Director Ravin Wickramaratne.

Franchises are obligated to play its players 60 percent of their tournament fees before the tournament starts, Wickramaratne confirmed.

“They have already informed us that the first payment was made to all the players,” Wickramaratne, who also a Vice President at Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), said. “The second payment will be made tomorrow (25).”

The LPL starts in Hambantota on Thursday with teams already conducting training sessions, though some of the overseas players signed for the tournament are still in quarantine.

A few more players are expected to reach the island over the coming days, making them available only for the second part of the tournament.

Wickramaratne said there were hopes for a further expansion to the number of teams in the league, with the possibility of one representing the eastern province.

“It is not the final formation. This is for this year only. We have plans to increase the number of teams from next year or the third year. We could include a team from the Eastern province in the coming years,” Wickramaratne said.

“The formation of the teams are based on international venues (in Sri Lanka). We wanted to play the LPL in three venues – Hambantota, Dambulla and Kandy – and that's why we named the three teams after them,” he added. “We also felt we should have a team in Jaffna.”

There is no franchise from Hambantota, though the Galle Gladiators presumably represents the Southern Province, where the city that is hosting the tournament is located.

Meanwhile, the two overseas players drafted for the Lanka Premier League (LPL) who tested positive for Covid-19, , Canadian Ravinderpal Singh and Paksitan’s Sohail Tanvir, will be allowed to join the bio-secure bubble set up for the tournament, though they are medically advised not to play any part in matches for another two weeks.

“Medically speaking, after 10 days you’re not infecting, but to play (at the end of the 14 days quarantine) is not medically advisable. I don’t think we can clear that. If they want to play against medical advice it's up to them,” Prof. Arjuna de Silva, who chairs SLC’s Medical Advisory Panel, said yesterday. “Even if you are asymptomatic you're advised to rest for another two weeks.”

Wickramaratne later confirmed to the Daily Mirror that the two overseas players will be allowed to join the bio-secure bubble, though concurring with de Silva, that the decision to play was up to the individuals. (SMD)