The squads for the 2026 Lanka Premier League are now set after the completion of the Player Draft, which saw 93 local and overseas players selected across the five franchises. Players from 12 countries will feature in the sixth edition of the tournament, underlining the league's growing international appeal.
Colombo Kaps, Galle Gallants and Kandy Royals used the full quota of 20 players, while Jaffna Kings settled on a 19-player squad and Dambulla Sixers completed their roster with 18 players. Under tournament regulations, franchises were required to draft a minimum of 18 players, including two Emerging Under-23 Sri Lankan players, with the option of adding up to two additional local signings.
The player pool was divided into five salary categories. Platinum players were valued at US$50,000, followed by Gold (US$30,000) and Classic (US$20,000), with separate categories for local and overseas players. Associate players were available for US$15,000, while Emerging Under-23 players carried a value of US$10,000.
With the draft concluded, focus now shifts to the tournament itself, which will run from 17 July to 8 August. Teams have reshaped their squads with a combination of established international stars, leading Sri Lankan players and emerging talent as they prepare for another highly competitive season.
Afghanistan and Pakistan players proved particularly popular during the draft. Afghanistan internationals Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran all secured contracts, reflecting the country's growing influence in T20 cricket. Pakistan was also strongly represented, with Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Nawaz and Akif Javed among the overseas players selected.
Four-time champions Jaffna Kings headline a field that also includes Colombo Kaps, Dambulla Sixers, Galle Gallants and Kandy Royals, with all five franchises hoping their new-look squads can deliver success when the tournament gets underway on 17 July.
COMPLETE ROSTERS
Colombo Kaps
Picked in Player Draft: Binura Fernando (platinum local), Mujeeb-ur-Rahman (platinum overseas), Sadeera Samarawickrama (gold local), Milan Rathnayaka (gold local), Janith Liyanage (gold local), Shahnawaz Dahani (gold overseas), Jeffrey Vandersay (classic local), Thanuka Dabare (classic local), Movin Subasinghe (classic local), Mohammad Haris (classic overseas), Hasan Mahmud (classic overseas), Kushel Bhurtel (associate star), Malsha Tharupati (emerging u23), Sharujan Shanmuganathan (emerging u23), Wanuja Sahan (optional gold), Anthony Pragasam (optional classic)
Pre-signed players: Kusal Mendis (local icon), Kamindu Mendis (local star), Jimmy Neesham (overseas icon), Ben McDermott (overseas star)
Dambulla Sixers
Picked in Player Draft: Maheesh Theekshana (platinum local), Fazalhaq Farooqi (platinum overseas), Niroshan Dickwella (gold local), Pavan Rathnayaka (gold local), Akila Dananjaya (gold local), Mohammad Wasim Jr (gold overseas), Dhananjaya Lakshan (classic local), Ramesh Mendis (classic local), Sachita Jayathilake (classic local), Gulbadin Naib (classic overseas), Dian Forrestor (classic overseas), Shadley van Schalkwyk (associate star), Vishva Kumara (emerging u23), Gayana Weerasinghe (emerging u23)
Pre-signed players: Dushmantha Chameera (local icon), Dinesh Chandimal (local star), Sahibzada Farhan (overseas icon), Reeza Hendricks (overseas star)
Galle Gallants
Picked in Player Draft: Charith Asalanka (platinum local), Mohammad Nawaz (platinum overseas), Pramod Madushan (gold local), Lasith Croospulle (gold local), Vijayakanth Viyaskanth (gold local), Akif Javed (gold overseas), Sahan Archachige (classic local), Chamika Karunaratne (classic local), Tharindu Rathnayaka (classic local), Sam Harper (classic overseas), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (classic overseas), Haider Ali (associate star), Dinura Kalupahana (emerging u23), Uri Koththigoda (emerging u23), Kasun Rajitha (optional gold), Sachindu Colombage (optional classic)
Pre-signed players: Dasun Shanaka (local icon), Eshan Malinga (local star), Rassie van der Dussen (overseas icon), Litton Das (overseas star)
Jaffna Kings
Picked in Player Draft: Avishka Fernando (platinum local), David Wiese (platinum overseas), Dilshan Madushanka (gold local), Kamil Mishara (gold local), Traveen Matthew (gold local), Ibrahim Zadran (gold overseas), Mohammed Shiraz (classic local), Chamindu Wickramasinghe (classic local), Nuwanindu Fernando (classic local), Sandeep Lamichhane (classic overseas), Lizaad Williams (classic overseas), Dipendra Singh Airee (associate star), Kugathas Mathulan (emerging u23), Praveen Manisha (emerging u23), Nishan Madushka (optional gold),
Pre-signed players: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (local icon), Dunith Wellalage (local star), Shakib Al Hasan (overseas icon), Taskin Ahmed (overseas star)
Kandy Royals
Picked in Player Draft: Nuwan Thushara (platinum local), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (platinum overseas), Kusal Perera (local gold), Asitha Fernando (local gold), Garuka Sanketh (local gold), Daniel Sams (gold overseas), Vishen Halambage (classic local), Muditha Lakshan (classic local), Lahiru Udana (classic local), Dale Phillips (classic overseas), Zahir Khan (classic overseas), Brandon McMullen (associate star), Sahan Mihira (emerging u23), Dewa Pawan Sandesh de Silva (emerging u23), Dushan Hemantha (optional gold), Isitha Wijesundara (optional classic)
Pre-signed players: Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva (local icon), Angelo Mathews (local star), Moeen Ali (overseas icon), Vijay Shankar (overseas star)
Colombo Kaps, Galle Gallants and Kandy Royals used the full quota of 20 players, while Jaffna Kings settled on a 19-player squad and Dambulla Sixers completed their roster with 18 players. Under tournament regulations, franchises were required to draft a minimum of 18 players, including two Emerging Under-23 Sri Lankan players, with the option of adding up to two additional local signings.
The player pool was divided into five salary categories. Platinum players were valued at US$50,000, followed by Gold (US$30,000) and Classic (US$20,000), with separate categories for local and overseas players. Associate players were available for US$15,000, while Emerging Under-23 players carried a value of US$10,000.
With the draft concluded, focus now shifts to the tournament itself, which will run from 17 July to 8 August. Teams have reshaped their squads with a combination of established international stars, leading Sri Lankan players and emerging talent as they prepare for another highly competitive season.
Afghanistan and Pakistan players proved particularly popular during the draft. Afghanistan internationals Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran all secured contracts, reflecting the country's growing influence in T20 cricket. Pakistan was also strongly represented, with Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Nawaz and Akif Javed among the overseas players selected.
Four-time champions Jaffna Kings headline a field that also includes Colombo Kaps, Dambulla Sixers, Galle Gallants and Kandy Royals, with all five franchises hoping their new-look squads can deliver success when the tournament gets underway on 17 July.
COMPLETE ROSTERS
Colombo Kaps
Picked in Player Draft: Binura Fernando (platinum local), Mujeeb-ur-Rahman (platinum overseas), Sadeera Samarawickrama (gold local), Milan Rathnayaka (gold local), Janith Liyanage (gold local), Shahnawaz Dahani (gold overseas), Jeffrey Vandersay (classic local), Thanuka Dabare (classic local), Movin Subasinghe (classic local), Mohammad Haris (classic overseas), Hasan Mahmud (classic overseas), Kushel Bhurtel (associate star), Malsha Tharupati (emerging u23), Sharujan Shanmuganathan (emerging u23), Wanuja Sahan (optional gold), Anthony Pragasam (optional classic)
Pre-signed players: Kusal Mendis (local icon), Kamindu Mendis (local star), Jimmy Neesham (overseas icon), Ben McDermott (overseas star)
Dambulla Sixers
Picked in Player Draft: Maheesh Theekshana (platinum local), Fazalhaq Farooqi (platinum overseas), Niroshan Dickwella (gold local), Pavan Rathnayaka (gold local), Akila Dananjaya (gold local), Mohammad Wasim Jr (gold overseas), Dhananjaya Lakshan (classic local), Ramesh Mendis (classic local), Sachita Jayathilake (classic local), Gulbadin Naib (classic overseas), Dian Forrestor (classic overseas), Shadley van Schalkwyk (associate star), Vishva Kumara (emerging u23), Gayana Weerasinghe (emerging u23)
Pre-signed players: Dushmantha Chameera (local icon), Dinesh Chandimal (local star), Sahibzada Farhan (overseas icon), Reeza Hendricks (overseas star)
Galle Gallants
Picked in Player Draft: Charith Asalanka (platinum local), Mohammad Nawaz (platinum overseas), Pramod Madushan (gold local), Lasith Croospulle (gold local), Vijayakanth Viyaskanth (gold local), Akif Javed (gold overseas), Sahan Archachige (classic local), Chamika Karunaratne (classic local), Tharindu Rathnayaka (classic local), Sam Harper (classic overseas), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (classic overseas), Haider Ali (associate star), Dinura Kalupahana (emerging u23), Uri Koththigoda (emerging u23), Kasun Rajitha (optional gold), Sachindu Colombage (optional classic)
Pre-signed players: Dasun Shanaka (local icon), Eshan Malinga (local star), Rassie van der Dussen (overseas icon), Litton Das (overseas star)
Jaffna Kings
Picked in Player Draft: Avishka Fernando (platinum local), David Wiese (platinum overseas), Dilshan Madushanka (gold local), Kamil Mishara (gold local), Traveen Matthew (gold local), Ibrahim Zadran (gold overseas), Mohammed Shiraz (classic local), Chamindu Wickramasinghe (classic local), Nuwanindu Fernando (classic local), Sandeep Lamichhane (classic overseas), Lizaad Williams (classic overseas), Dipendra Singh Airee (associate star), Kugathas Mathulan (emerging u23), Praveen Manisha (emerging u23), Nishan Madushka (optional gold),
Pre-signed players: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (local icon), Dunith Wellalage (local star), Shakib Al Hasan (overseas icon), Taskin Ahmed (overseas star)
Kandy Royals
Picked in Player Draft: Nuwan Thushara (platinum local), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (platinum overseas), Kusal Perera (local gold), Asitha Fernando (local gold), Garuka Sanketh (local gold), Daniel Sams (gold overseas), Vishen Halambage (classic local), Muditha Lakshan (classic local), Lahiru Udana (classic local), Dale Phillips (classic overseas), Zahir Khan (classic overseas), Brandon McMullen (associate star), Sahan Mihira (emerging u23), Dewa Pawan Sandesh de Silva (emerging u23), Dushan Hemantha (optional gold), Isitha Wijesundara (optional classic)
Pre-signed players: Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva (local icon), Angelo Mathews (local star), Moeen Ali (overseas icon), Vijay Shankar (overseas star)
