At least 16 Sri Lankan cricketers to miss BPL

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is going to refuse No Objection Certificate (NOC) to at least 16 players. Those players are currently centrally-contracted with the board. An SLC official on Monday has confirmed it.

It has been further learnt that SLC instead insist that its cricketers take part in the upcoming Premier Limited Overs (List A) tournament at home. Some of the players who have been bought by BPL franchises may also be required for Sri Lanka’s Test tour of New Zealand. The tour is expected to begin from early December. On the other hand, the third season of BPL will roll onto the ground from November 22 and run till December 15.

In the meantime, BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury, denying the claim of the SLC official, has expressed his confidence that SLC will provide NOCs to its players in the next few days.

List of Sri Lankan players affected by the NOCs : Ashan Priyanjan Ajantha Mendis, Binura Fernando, Dilruwan Perera, Dhammika Prasad, Isuru Udana, Prasanna Jayawardene, Lahiru Thirimanne, Milinda Siriwardana, Niroshan Dickwella, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Shehan Jayasuriya, Sachith Pathirana, Sachithra Senanayake, Seekkuge Prasanna, Upul Tharanga, Jeevan Mendis*

Among the listed players, Jeevan Mendis has received special permission from Tamil Union Cricket Club (TUCC) to play in the BPL, but the national selectors, acting on behalf of the board, still have the authority to deny him the NOC.