Current Sri Lanka cricketers to play Legends team in charity match

A Sri Lanka Legends team is set to take on a team of current Sri Lankan cricketers, including those who have represented the national team, in a charity match on May 4 in Pallekele. The match is set to be televised and could also be the first in Sri Lanka to host fans since the onset of the pandemic - this, however, is still at the discussion phase with Sri Lanka’s health authorities.

Sri Lanka Cricket’s newly-appointed management committee will be overseeing the organisational aspects of the match. The committee was installed last week by Sri Lanka’s sports ministry to run day-to-day affairs at SLC until next month’s board elections, as the previous board’s term in office had expired.

“The whole country enjoyed watching cricket and watching these players playing again,” Arjuna de Silva, chairman of the SLC management committee, said. “At the same time we have not seen a live match for more than a year.

“From a spectators point of view it’ll be an exciting match, and from the current players’ point of view it will be a good experience, especially because many of them would love to play alongside their childhood heroes,” he added. “Some of the youngsters might also get an opportunity to play as well.”

It is understood that the match had been mooted ever since the Sri Lanka Legends team, which came runners-up in last month’s Road Safety World Series, had proved incredibly popular amongst Sri Lanka’s cricket-viewing public.

While the former stars set to turn out for the Legends’ team are yet to be confirmed, it is likely that Aravinda de Silva, who currently heads a sports ministry-appointed technical advisory committee at SLC, might play a part. However, neither Kumar Sangakkara nor Mahela Jayawardene will be available due to commitments with the IPL.

-Agencies