Hosting Dialog Invitational T20 League will cost SLC Rs. 90 m

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said that it had budgeted Rs. 60 million to conduct the Dialog SLC Invitational T20 League currently taking place at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, but the figure could go up to about Rs. 90 million due to the change of dates and hotels and additional expenses for PCR tests.

SLC were forced to reschedule some matches and change hotels following the identification of some employees of the hotel, where the players and support staff were staying, testing COVID-19 positive. The players and the support staff were subsequently shifted to two different hotels as a precautionary measure.

“Despite the high costs it is a good investment, we have seen some quality cricket being played and good performances from the players who have got very important match practice,” said SLC secretary Mohan de Silva.

Tournament Committee Chairman Samantha Dodanwela said that SLC had set aside around Rs. 15 to 20 million as prize money and players’ payments for the two-week four-team tournament, which will draw to a close on Tuesday (24 August) when the top two teams in the league square off in the final for prize money worth Rs. 3.5 million. The winning team will receive Rs. 2 million and the runner-up Rs. 1.5 million. There is also Rs. 300,000 each for the Player of the Final and the Player of the Tournament. In addition, each player is expected to receive between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 15,000 per match.

Conducting the Invitational T20 League is an additional cost to SLC as it is an unscheduled tournament, which is being played to substitute for the Lanka Premier League (LPL), which was to take place in August-September, but was postponed to November-December due to at least one similar premier league and several international tours taking place among cricketing nations during the period.    “We thought of playing this tournament mainly in preparation for the South African series and the T20 World Cup because the LPL was postponed, and we could not play the Major Clubs T20 tournament as well. It would help the selectors to pick the sides for the two series and also give the players in the system the opportunity of displaying their talent. That was the idea behind conducting this invitational tournament,” said Dodanwela.

The League resumes with back-to-back matches today – Greens v Blues at 2:30 p.m. and Greys v Reds at 7 p.m. It will be followed on Sunday by Greys v Blues at 2:30 p.m. and Greens v Reds at 7 p.m., which will conclude the league stage of the competition. (ST)