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Great move by SLC! 

24 Jan 2021

  • Senior players not allowed to take part in Abu Dhabi League cricket 

  In a fare move aimed towards the betterment of national cricket, some current players who have requested from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to participate in the Abu Dhabi T10 League - which is to be held from 28 January to 6 February - have not been issued the above, The Sunday Morning learnt on Friday (22).  “There is an international tour. We are going to the West Indies. Most of these players who have requested NOCs are in that pool to carry out training for that tour,” explained SLC CEO Ashley de Silva.  There has been a lingering accusation that senior as well as prospective national players are taking part in various cash-rich T20 and T10 leagues round the world, round the year only to hamper their preparation for national duty and required fitness levels needed in highly competitive international cricket nowadays.    SLC has taken a decision    “They (the squad for the West Indies tour) need to get fit for proper preparation. Therefore the board has taken a decision that when there are international tours and if any of the members (who have requested NOCs) are going to be in a pool which has been picked by the selectors, they will not be released (for any such leagues),” further explained de Silva.  “Only those who will not be participating, or who are not in the pool, will be given the NOCs,” added de Silva when he talked to The Sunday Morning over SLC’s decision on Friday (22).    Effective for whole year    Only three Sri Lanka players will therefore feature in the Abu Dhabi T10 Cricket League this time, which will be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). But there were reportedly 13 Sri Lankans who were initially set to participate in it.  The SLC decision for not allowing senior national players to participate in various franchise leagues will be effective during the whole of this year that is packed with multi-national as well as bilateral assignments, both home and abroad.    The three players who were given NOCs    The move will also give the SLC contracted players a bigger duration to rest and recover from their injuries in preparation for the most significant national duties.  The three Sri Lankan cricketers who have been issued with SLC NOCs for the Abu Dhabi T10 League are Matheesha Pathirana (who will feature in the franchise Bangla Tigers), Mahesh Theekshana, and Dhananjaya Lakshan (both in Northern Warriors franchise). 


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