Kandy (Sri Lanka), Dec 10 (IANS): Elite cricket stars like England's Jason Roy, Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh, Dasun Shanaka of Sri Lanka, Muhammad Amir of Pakistan, George Munsey of Scotland and local star Avishka Fernando will hope to propel their respective teams to glory in the 2024 Lanka T10 Super League, which is set to commence on Wednesday.
The T10 battle for glory will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, featuring six dynamic franchises -- Colombo Jaguars, Galle Marvels, Hambantota Bangla Tigers, Jaffna Titans, Kandy Bolts and Nuwara Eliya Kings -- that will showcase an exciting brand of cricket at the picturesque venue in Kandy.
The final list of players, which includes an impressive mix of international stars and local talent, was released on Tuesday, setting into motion the T10 battle for glory. The 2024 Lanka T10 Super League is being organised and endorsed by Sri Lanka Cricket.
The league has also assembled an extraordinary roster of talent across all franchises. The Colombo Jaguars, under the guidance of legendary Sri Lankan bowler Chaminda Vaas as head coach, will feature top stars including former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews, alongside rising star Matheesha Pathirana, versatile Kamindu Mendis, Pakistan's Asif Ali, besides England's explosive opener Jason Roy.
Galle Marvels, coached by the experienced Graham Ford, boasts a formidable lineup including spin wizard Maheesh Theekshana, explosive Bhanuka Rajapaksa, pace bowler Binura Fernando, and English star Alex Hales and Luke Wood, the organisers informed in a release on Tuesday.
The Hambantota Bangla Tigers showcase their strength with Shanaka at the helm, supported by Shevon Daniel, local hero Kusal Janith Perera, and Afghanistan's Hazratullah Zazai. Jaffna Titans, under the strategic leadership of James Foster, feature an impressive roster including the skilled Muhammad Amir, dynamic Kusal Mendis, and versatile Charith Asalanka.
Kandy Bolts, coached by Sachith Pathirana, brings together a stellar combination including the experienced Dinesh Chandimal, skilled opener Pathum Nissanka, and international talent George Munsey.
Nuwara Eliya Kings, under the guidance of Julian Wood, round out the competition with a powerful lineup featuring Avishka Fernando, Saurabh Tiwary, pace bowler Kasun Rajitha, talented Dushan Hemantha, Kyle Mayers and Benny Howell.
The tournament's opening day promises a spectacular triple-header at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday with Jaffna Titans taking on Hambantota Bangla Tigers in the tournament opener. The second match of the day will see Nuwara Eliya Kings face off against Colombo Jaguars while the day concludes with an exciting clash between Kandy Bolts and Galle Marvels. The fast-paced T10 format is expected to deliver thrilling encounters and showcase the evolution of cricket in the region.
The complete squad lists for all franchises are as follows:
Colombo Jaguars: Angelo Mathews (captain), Dan Lawrence, Matheesha Pathirana, Kamindu Mendis, Asif Ali, Jason Roy, Akila Dhananjaya, Angelo Perera, Najibullah Zadran, Ali Khan, Isitha Wijesundara, Ramesh Mendis, Rony Talukdar, Ranuda Somarathne, Ryan Kamwemba, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madhushanka, Garuka Sanketh and support staff including Head Coach Chaminda Vaas.
Galle Marvels: Maheesh Theekshana, Shakib Al Hasan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Binura Fernando, Alex Hales, Luke Wood, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Jeffrey Vandersay, Andre Fletcher, Zahoor Khan, Sandun Weerakkody, Prabath Jayasuriya, Kesrick Williams, Dumindu Sewmina, Sadisha Rajapaksa and supporting staff including Head Coach Graham Ford.
Hambantota Bangla Tigers: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Shevon Daniel, Kusal Janith Perera, Dushmantha Chameera, Hazratullah Zazai, Richard Gleeson, Isuru Udana, Tharindu Ratnayake, Karim Janat, Mohammad Shahzad, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Nishan Peirichuges, Chamath Gomez, Sahan Arachchige and team staff.
Jaffna Titans: Wanindu Hasaranga (captain), Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, David Weise, Muhammad Amir, Nuwan Thushara, Dunith Wellalage, Dwaine Pretorius, Tom Abell, Pramod Madushan, Pavan Rathnayake, George Garton, Traveen Mathew, Kevin Wickham, including Head Coach James Foster and supporting staff.
Kandy Bolts: Thisara Perera (captain), Imad Wasim, Dinesh Chandimal, Pathum Nissanka, George Munsey, Milinda Siriwardana, Chathuranga de Silva, Amir Hamza Hotak, Shehan Jayasuriya, Chamika Gunasekara, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Danal Hemananda, Arinesto Vezha, Seekkuge Prasanna, including Head Coach Sachith Pathirana and support personnel.
Nuwara Eliya Kings: Avishka Fernando, Saurabh Tiwary, Kasun Rajitha, Dushan Hemantha, Kyle Mayers, Benny Howell, Danushka Gunathilaka, Lahiru Madushanka, Aftab Alam, Nimsara Atharagalla, Yashodha Lanka, Umar Akmal, Vishen Halambage, Rivaldo Clarke, Chamika Karunaratne, Pulindu Perera and team management, including Head Coach Julian Wood.