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LPL 2026: Complete Squads of All Teams After The Player Draft
The sixth edition of Sri Lanka’s franchise tournament officially moved into a new phase after the player draft concluded in Colombo on June 1. The draft lasted almost four hours, involved five franchises rebuilding squads under new rules, and produced several major signings involving international stars, Sri Lankan stalwarts and emerging young talent.
By the end of the evening, 97 players had been selected across the five teams as franchises prepared for a tournament that will run from July 17 to August 8 across Colombo, Dambulla and Pallekele. This year’s draft, however, was about far more than player selections. It marked the beginning of a completely different version of the Lanka Premier League.
New Rules Change The Entire Tournament
The biggest talking point entering the draft was the introduction of two major rule changes for LPL 2026. For the first time in the league’s history, the Impact Player rule will be used during matches. Teams will now be allowed to make tactical substitutions during games, giving captains greater flexibility depending on match situations.
Alongside that, Sri Lanka Cricket has also made it mandatory for every franchise to field at least one Under-23 player in their playing eleven at all times, even after using an Impact substitute. Those two rules completely changed draft strategies. Franchises were no longer simply building first elevens.
They were constructing flexible squads capable of adapting during matches while also balancing youth and experience carefully. Several teams clearly prioritised versatile cricketers and multi-skill players because of these tactical changes.
New Owners And New Identities Arrive
LPL 2026 will also look different visually. Four of the five franchises entered the season under new ownership groups and rebranded names. Colombo Strikers will now compete as Colombo Kaps. Galle Marvels have become Galle Gallants. B-Love Kandy will play under the name Kandy Royals, while Jaffna Kings now officially operate as SC Jaffna Kings.
The ownership reshuffle has added fresh energy to the tournament, with several franchises aggressively rebuilding squads during the draft process. The changes also reflect how unstable franchise cricket structures can sometimes become in smaller leagues.
Team names, owners and branding continue evolving almost every season, creating an environment where continuity becomes difficult but unpredictability becomes guaranteed.
Big International Names Headline The Draft
Several high-profile overseas stars dominated attention during the draft and pre-signing period. Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz became one of the standout acquisitions after joining Kandy Royals. Mohammad Nawaz strengthened Galle Gallants, while Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan signed with SC Jaffna Kings.
Sri Lankan internationals also attracted significant attention. Charith Asalanka joined Galle Gallants, Avishka Fernando moved to Jaffna, while experienced names like Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal secured places through pre-draft direct signings.
Indian all-rounder Vijay Shankar, who recently retired from IPL and domestic cricket, was picked by Kandy Royals as one of their overseas signings. Meanwhile, Dambulla Sixers strengthened their batting by signing Pakistan batter Sahibzada Farhan, while Galle Gallants added highly rated Sri Lankan pacer Eshan Malinga.
Further Reading: Pat Cummins May Skip IPL 2027? SRH Captain Prioritises Ashes, World Cup
Draft Categories And Salary Structure
Players participating in the draft were divided across multiple salary categories. The categories included Platinum, Gold, Classic, Associate and Emerging Under-23 brackets, with separate divisions for local and overseas players.
| Category | Number of Players | Fee per Player (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Icon | 1 | 60,000 to 80,000 |
| Icon (Overseas) | 1 | 60,000 to 80,000 |
| Star | 1 | 60,000 to 80,000 |
| Star (Overseas) | 1 | 60,000 to 80,000 |
| Platinum | 1 | 50,000 |
| Platinum (Overseas) | 1 | 50,000 |
| Gold | 3 | 30,000 |
| Gold (Overseas) | 1 | 30,000 |
| Classic | 3 | 20,000 |
| Classic (Overseas) | 2 | 20,000 |
| Associate Stars | 1 | 15,000 |
| Emerging U23 | 2 | 10,000 |
| Optional: Gold | 1 | 30,000 |
| Optional: Classic | 1 | 20,000 |
LPL 2026 Pre-Signings
| Team Name | Players Pre-signed |
|---|---|
| SC Jaffna Kings | Taskin Ahmed, Dunith Wellalage, Shakib Al Hasan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa |
| Galle Gallants | Litton Das, Eshan Malinga, Rassie van der Dussen, Dasun Shanaka |
| Kandy Royals | Vijay Shankar, Angelo Mathews, Moeen Ali, Wanindu Hasaranga |
| Colombo Kaps | Ben McDermott, Kamindu Mendis, Jimmy Neesham, Kusal Mendis |
| Dambulla Sixers | Reeza Hendricks, Dinesh Chandimal, Sahibzada Farhan, Dushmantha Chameera |
Continue Reading: India vs New Zealand 2026: Complete Match Schedule Announced, Check Fixtures
LPL 2026: Full Squads
Colombo Kaps
- Star Category: Kamindu Mendis, Ben McDermott
- Icon Category: Kusal Mendis, Jimmy Neesham
- Emerging U23 Category: Sharujan Shanmuganathan, Malsha Tharupathi
- Classic Category: Hasan Mahmud, Movin Subasingha, Jeffrey Vandersay, Mohammad Haris, Thanuka Dabare, Anthony Arul Pragasam
- Gold Category: Janith Liyanage, Milan Rathnayake, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Shahnawaz Ali Dahani, Wanuja Sahan
- Platinum Category: Binura Fernando, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
- Associate Stars Category: Kushal Bhurtel
Dambulla Sixers
- Star Category: Dinesh Chandimal, Reeza Hendricks
- Icon Category: Dushmantha Chameera, Sahibzada Farhan
- Emerging U23 Category: Gayana Weerasinghe, Vishva Lahiru Kumara
- Classic Category: Ramesh Mendis, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Dian Forrester, Gulbadin Naib, Sachitha Jayathilake
- Gold Category: Akila Dananjaya, Pavan Rathanayaka, Niroshan Dickwella, Mohammad Wasim Jr.
- Platinum Category: Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi
- Associate Stars Category: Shadley van Schalkwyk
Galle Gallants
- Star Category: Eshan Malinga, Litton Kumar Das
- Icon Category: Dasun Shanaka, Rassie van der Dussen
- Emerging U23 Category: Uri Koththigoda, Dinura Kalupahana
- Classic Category: Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Chamika Karunaratna, Sam Harper, Tharindu Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Sachindu Colombage
- Gold Category: Lasith Croospulle, Pramod Madushan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Akif Javed, Kasun Rajitha
- Platinum Category: Charith Asalanka, Muhammad Nawaz
- Associate Stars Category: Haider Ali
Jaffna Kings
- Star Category: Dunith Wellalage, Taskin Ahmed
- Icon Category: Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shakib Al Hasan
- Emerging U23 Category: Praveen Manisha, Kugathas Mathulan
- Classic Category: Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Mohammed Shiraz, Lizaad Williams, Sandeep Lamichhane, Nuwanindu Fernando
- Gold Category: Traveen Mathews, Kamil Mishara, Dilshan Madushanka, Ibrahim Zadran, Nishan Madushka
- Platinum Category: Avishka Fernando, David Wiese
- Associate Stars Category: Dipendra Singh Airee
Kandy Royals
- Star Category: Angelo Mathews, Vijay Shankar
- Icon Category: Wanindu Hasaranga, Moeen Ali
- Emerging U23 Category: Deva Pavan Sandesh de Silva, Sahan Mihira
- Classic Category: Lahiru Udara, Muditha Lakshan, Vishen Halambage, Zahir Khan, Dale Phillips, Isitha Wijesundara
- Gold Category: Garuka Sanketh, Asitha Fernando, Kusal Perera, Daniel Sams, Dushan Hemantha
- Platinum Category: Nuwan Thushara, Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Associate Stars Category: Brandon McMullen
