Colombo, Oct 15 (IANS): The postponed third edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) will be held from December 6-23, with five franchise teams -- Colombo, Jaffna, Kandy, Galle and Dambulla -- vying for the trophy with matches to be played at three venues across the country.

Action will start in Sooriyawewa (Hambantota), before moving to Pallekele, with the backend of the tournament set to be played at Khettarama in Colombo.

The format is similar to the second edition with each team playing the other twice in the round-robin stage, before four of the five sides move into the qualifiers, which take the form of the IPL's final sequence, according to ESPNcricinfo.

"There will be a direct qualifier to the final to be played between the sides finishing first and second, before teams three and four play an eliminator. A second eliminator will then determine the other finalist," said the report.

A statement issued by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said, "The tournament will kick off with matches played in MRICS, Hambantota, and then move to PKICS, Kandy, before shifting to RPICS, Colombo, to play the last leg of the first round matches of the tournament, including the eliminator round and the finals."

The opening game of the tournament will be played between reigning champions Jaffna and the runner-up of the 2021 edition, Team Galle.

The tournament, which was initially scheduled in August, had to be postponed due to the economic situation in the country.