SL cricketers to sign annual contracts after England series

The Sri Lanka cricket team

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The Sri Lanka (SL) cricketers, currently engaged in a two-Test series in South Africa, are expected to sign their annual contracts with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) at the end of the home Test series against England next month.

The two-Test series against England will be played from 14 to 26 January after which the SL cricketers are due to leave for the Caribbean for a two-Test series against the West Indies. The contracts are expected to be signed before the team leaves for the Caribbean.

“We have extended the contracts of the players’ up to the end of January. The contracts expired in November, but we extended it by two months because they are going to South Africa and then the England series. The players will sign their annual contracts after the end of the England tour,” said SLC CEO Ashley de Silva.

“We have not categorised the players yet for the new contracts. We will have a look at it again. Last year, we had about 30 players contracted for international cricket,” he said.

The South Africa and England Test series are taking place back-to-back and the 21 players picked for it are currently in a bio-bubble due to the COVID-19 pandemic.