The Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 draft saw new faces, new owners and loads of drama as the franchises chose their sides for the sixth edition of the tournament. After the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced that the league will have the Impact player rule, the draft was completed.
Held in Colombo on Monday, the draft lasted just under four hours, with teams required to pick a minimum of 18 players. By the end of the evening, 97 players had been selected across five franchises, with Afghanistan stars, Sri Lankan internationals and several emerging talents finding new homes.
LPL draft completed
The draft was particularly significant because teams were building squads around two major rule changes. The LPL has introduced the Impact Player rule from 2026 and has also made it mandatory for every team to field at least one Under-23 player in their playing XI at all times.
Four of the five franchises entered the season with new ownership groups and rebranded names. Jaffna are now SC Jaffna Kings, Galle have become Galle Gallants, B-Love Kandy will play as Kandy Royals, while Colombo will compete under the name Colombo Kaps.
Cricket 1 min LPL adds bizarre social media benchmark for overseas cricketers ahead of Lanka Premier League 2026The draft also revealed that Sri Lanka stars Pathum Nissanka and Matheesha Pathirana are currently managing injuries. Nissanka, despite being named in Sri Lanka’s squad for the West Indies tour, is understood to be managing his workload and could undergo surgery ahead of India’s tour of Sri Lanka later this year.
Among the biggest names picked on the night were Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nawaz. Former India all-rounder Vijay Shankar, who recently retired from Indian domestic cricket, will also feature in the competition after being pre-signed by Kandy Royals.
LPL 2026 will be played from July 17 to August 8 across Colombo, Dambulla and Pallekele.
LPL 2026 Squads
Colombo Kaps
Platinum picks: Binura Fernando (platinum local), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (platinum overseas)
Gold picks: Sadeera Samarawickrama (gold local), Milan Rathnayake (local), Janith Liyanage (gold local), Shahnawaz Dahani (gold overseas)
Classic picks: Jeffrey Vandersay (classic local), Thanuka Dabare (classic local), Movin Subasinghe (classic local), Mohammad Haris (classic overseas), Hasan Mahmud (classic overseas)
Other picks: Kushal Bhurtel (associate star), Malsha Tharupati (emerging U23), Sharujan Shanmuganathan (emerging U23), Wanuja Sahan (optional gold), Anthony Pragasam (optional classic)
Pre-signed players: Kusal Mendis (local icon), Kamindu Mendis (local star), Jimmy Neesham (overseas icon), Ben McDermott (overseas star)
Dambulla Sixers
Platinum picks: Maheesh Theekshana (platinum local), Fazalhaq Farooqi (platinum overseas)
Gold picks: Niroshan Dickwella (gold local), Pavan Rathnayake (gold local), Akila Dananjaya (gold local), Mohammad Wasim Jr (gold overseas)
Classic picks: Dhananjaya Lakshan (classic local), Ramesh Mendis (classic local), Sachita Jayathilake (classic local), Gulbadin Naib (classic overseas), Dian Forrester (classic overseas)
Other picks: Shadley van Schalkwyk (associate star), Vishva Kumara (emerging U23), Gayana Weerasinghe (emerging U23)
Pre-signed players: Dushmantha Chameera (local icon), Dinesh Chandimal (local star), Sahibzada Farhan (overseas icon), Reeza Hendricks (overseas star)
Cricket 1 min Vijay Shankar heads to LPL after IPL retirement, signs with Kandy RoyalsGalle Gallants
Platinum picks: Charith Asalanka (platinum local), Mohammad Nawaz (platinum overseas)
Gold picks: Pramod Madushan (gold local), Lasith Croospulle (gold local), Vijayakanth Viyaskanth (gold local), Akif Javed (gold overseas)
Classic picks: Sahan Archachige (classic local), Chamika Karunaratne (classic local), Tharindu Rathnayaka (classic local), Sam Harper (classic overseas), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (classic overseas)
Other picks: Haider Ali (associate star), Dinura Kalupahana (emerging U23), Uri Koththigoda (emerging U23), Kasun Rajitha (optional gold), Sachindu Colombage (optional classic)
Pre-signed players: Dasun Shanaka (local icon), Eshan Malinga (local star), Rassie van der Dussen (overseas icon), Litton Das (overseas star)
Jaffna Kings
Platinum picks: Avishka Fernando (platinum local), David Wiese (platinum overseas)
Gold picks: Dilshan Madushanka (gold local), Kamil Mishara (gold local), Traveen Matthew (gold local), Ibrahim Zadran (gold overseas)
Classic picks: Mohamed Shiraz (classic local), Chamindu Wickramasinghe (classic local), Nuwanidu Fernando (classic local), Sandeep Lamichhane (classic overseas), Lizaad Williams (classic overseas)
Other picks: Dipendra Singh Airee (associate star), Kugathas Mathulan (emerging U23), Praveen Manisha (emerging U23), Nishan Madushka (optional gold)
Pre-signed players: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (local icon), Dunith Wellalage (local star), Shakib Al Hasan (overseas icon), Taskin Ahmed (overseas star)
Kandy Royals
Platinum picks: Nuwan Thushara (platinum local), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (platinum overseas)
Gold picks: Kusal Perera (local gold), Asitha Fernando (local gold), Garuka Sanketh (local gold), Daniel Sams (gold overseas)
Classic picks: Vishen Halambage (classic local), Muditha Lakshan (classic local), Lahiru Udana (classic local), Dale Phillips (classic overseas), Zahir Khan (classic overseas)
Other picks: Brandon McMullen (associate star), Sahan Mihira (emerging U23), Dewa Pawan Sandesh de Silva (emerging U23), Dushan Hemantha (optional gold), Isitha Wijesundara (optional classic)
Pre-signed players: Wanindu Hasaranga (local icon), Angelo Mathews (local star), Moeen Ali (overseas icon), Vijay Shankar (overseas star)
All LPL 2026 squads after Lanka Premier League draft Inside Sport India.
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