3 Sri Lankan veterans who are part of the Legends Cricket Trophy
The inaugural edition of the Legends Cricket Trophy (LCT) 2023 got underway when Chandigarh Champs (CC) beat the Guwahati Avengers (GA) in the tournament-opener on Wednesday, March 22. VVIP Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Ghaziabad is playing host to the entire competition.
The competition, which features six teams made up of some of the most well-known cricketers from the past, will be contested in a single round-robin style before the top two teams compete in the final.
With the likes of Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Stuart Binny, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Robin Uthappa and a few others, the tournament will see several Indian greats take on the center stage to compete against one another.
Alongside the Indian stars, some Sri Lankan legends who served their country admirably during their careers will also be partaking in the entertaining league.
On that note, let's take a look at three such Sri Lankan veterans who are part of the ongoing Legends Cricket Trophy 2023.
#3 Upul Tharanga - (Guwahati Avengers)
One of the most underrated ODI batters for Sri Lanka, Upul Tharanga is part of the Guwahati Avengers side in LCT.
The left-handed opener mustered over 9,000 international runs for Sri Lanka across formats and was also part of their 2011 ODI World Cup team, which came second in the marquee event.
Following his retirement in 2021, the 38-year-old has participated in a couple of cricketing leagues, including the recently-concluded Legends League Cricket (LCC) 2023. There, Tharanga ended up being the Player of the Tournament, with 221 runs at an average of 37.
#2 Tillakaratne Dilshan - Chandigarh Champs (CC)
Tharanga's partner-in-crime Tillakaratne Dilshan will also feature in LCT and is part of the Irfan Pathan-led Chandigarh Champs unit.
The dashing opener is considered one of the all-time greats for Sri Lanka, having amassed 17,691 international runs in almost 500 matches for his nation.
Dilshan was also part of the Asian Lions team which won the LLC 2023. The right-hander scored a vital 58 in the finals against the World Giants and ended the tournament with 191 runs at an average of 38.20.
Interestingly, Dilshan is the only Sri Lankan in his LCT team, with the likes of Pathan, Uthappa, Praveen Kumar and Ross Taylor taking up the other marquee spots.
#1 Sanath Jayasuriya - (Guwahati Avengers)
Being one of the all-time cricketing greats, it would be intriguing to see another Sri Lankan legend, Sanath Jayasuriya, take the field in the tournament.
He will partner Tharanga at the top of the order as he is also part of the Guwahati Avengers side in LCT.
With over 21,000 international runs coupled with 440 wickets, Jayasuriya is probably one of the best players in Sri Lankan cricketing history. He was probably the most influential player at the top of the order, taking a toll on the opposition bowlers every time he stepped onto the field.
The Yusuf Pathan-led Guwahati side will also expect Jayasuriya to light up the competition with his flashy strokeplay and striking abilities.