A United Kings-based consortium has been revealed as the owner of the Lanka Premier League franchisee Jaffna Stallions.
The ownership consortium in spearheaded by healthcare entrepreneur Brindon Bagirathan. He is known well in cricket circles across Australia, England and India.
The core motivation of the franchise is to develop cricket in the Northern Province in Sri Lanka. The franchisee, which has acquired three Jaffna-based cricketers, aims to develop the sport in Sri Lanka.
Jaffna Stallion Chief Executive Selva Waran believes the league will boost the sport in the Island nation.
Lanka Premier League will be played from November 21 to December 13 at Pallekele and Hambantota.
“The inclusion of three Jaffna-born youngsters in our team is testimony to the kind of cricketing talent this province has. It is also an encouragement to the cricketing community of Jaffna and rural cricketers across the Island. I am confident that LPL will further boost cricketing interest among young cricketers and offer real opportunities in the future,” said Waran.
“Our consortium shall strive to work beyond the LPL matches and make real grassroots progress to help the development of cricket in Jaffna. We hope one day one of our kids will play at national and international level.”
Thisara Perera has been named the skipper as the franchisee also revealed the team. The league organisers had earlier released select few names of the key players after the draft on October 19.
“It gives me immense pleasure to present this team to the world, and I am sure we will go all the way to the final with Thisara Perera as the captain and Thilina Kandamby as the coach. We are also very proud to present the three home-grown talented youngsters from Jaffna, Theivendram Dinoshan (18), Vijayakanth Viyaskanth (19) and Kanagarathnam Kabilraj (21), who will play a very important role in the team,” said A Anandan, Chief Strategis, Jaffna Stallions.”
“I was born and brought up in Jaffna until my late teens and I am now, by God’s grace, working in the UK. We grew up with tennis ball cricket using makeshift bats of our own handicraft. Sometimes we even played cricket on paddy fields. Sadly 30 plus years later we observe that Jaffna is still far behind in cricketing facilities such as grounds with turf wickets etc. Our consortium comprises a group of humble people who wish to ring hope for aspiring youth in Jaffna enabling a new pathway to gain entry to higher grade cricket.”
SLC VP and LPL Tournament Director Mr Ravin Wickramaratne said, “There is a huge pool of raw talent in every part of Sri Lanka. SLC has always thrived to develop the game in every nook and corner of the Island and I am extremely happy that the Jaffna Stallions too share the same vision for the game. I wish the team all the very best for the LPL.”
Promoter of LPL, Dubai-based production giant IPG CEO Mr Anil Mohan added, “Sri Lanka is all set to witness a new chapter in its cricketing history with LPL and I am confident that the Jaffna team’s performance will help the League grow in stature. The Jaffna team is a good mix of experience and youth and I am sure the fans here will have plenty to cheer about.”