THE INAUGURAL Sri Lanka Premier League has been postponed to next year following the withdrawal of the Indian cricketers, the island nation’s sports minister told reporters on Friday (July 8).
“The company which is organising (the tournament) said financially they are not in a shape to organise this without the Indian players,” sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said.
Twelve Indian players were set to participate in the July 19-August 4 event modelled on the successful Indian Premier League (IPL) but were denied permission by the Indian cricket board (BCCI) that eventually led to the tournament’s postponement less than a fortnight before the proposed start.
Aluthgamage had earlier said the BCCI’s opposition stemmed from their suspicion that former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, who was sacked on financial irregularity charges, was behind the tournament.
Sri Lanka Cricket’s media manager Brian Thomas said once the Indian players had withdrawn, it was difficult to go ahead with the event.
“We thought we can’t do a tournament of this magnitude (in absence of the Indian players). It is not a financial issue, it’s a logistical problem.”
