Sri Lanka’s top ninety players will feature in this season’s Inter-Provincial Twenty-20 Tournament, organised by Sri Lanka Cricket, to be held from March 25 to April 5 at five different Colombo venues. The tournament was officially announced to the media at a special briefing held at the Singhalese Sports Club Badminton Courts Hall Tuesday (24) morning.

The following persons, (Ms) Roshani Cooray of Lanka Bell, Marlon Peiris of Ewis, Mahesh Gunathillake of MAS, Harsha Samarajeewa of Lexmark, Nikhil Hirdaramani of Hirdaramani Group and (Ms) Vijitha Ratnayake of SL Telecom were present representing the sponsors of SLC Inter-Provincial cricket for the past two years. Nishantha Ranatunga, secretary, SLC Interim Committee, and Duleep Mendis, CEO, SLC.

Mendis, addressing the gathering, said national players will come into action in this Inter-Provincial Twenty-20 for the first time after the March 3 ‘unfortunate happening’ that took place in Lahore. While thanking the sponsors, Mendis added the tournament would be the main criteria for selection of the Sri Lanka team for the forthcoming ICC Twenty-20 World Cup to be held in England next June.

Ranatunga said the tournament began two years ago with some difficulties. "The best 75 national player and the best 15 school players will feature in this tournament. There were some arguments earlier on. But we’ll still consider club cricket as the backbone of our domestic cricket. Provincial cricket is not a hindrance for inter-club cricket. We were able to pick players like Ajantha Mendis through this tournament," he added.

Chaminda Vaas (Capt.), Thilina Kandamby (V. Capt.), Dhanuka Pathirana, Amal Athulathmudali, Angelo Mathews, Gayan Wijekoon, Bathiya Perera, Kaushal Silva, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Shanuka Dissanayake, Nuwan Kulasekara, Saliya Saman, Nuwan Pradeep, Ian Daniel and Daminda Darshanpriya

Manager: Anura Tennakoon

Tillakaratne Dilshan (Capt.), Chamara Silva (V. Capt.), Malinda Warnapura, Milinda Siriwardene, Hasantha Fernando, Gihan Rupasinghe, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Nuwan Zoysa, Malinga Bandara, Suranga Lakmal, Janaka Gunaratne, Dilruwan Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Charith Sylvester and Chinthaka Perera

Manager: Ashantha Dassanayake

Kumar Sangakkara (Capt./wk), Muttiah Muralitharan (V. Capt.), Indika Senaratne, Chamara Kapugedera, Kanchana Gunawardene, Sanjaya Gangodawila, Jeewan Mendis, Tharanga Paranavitana, Kaushalya Weeraratne, Chinthaka Jayasinghe, Thilan Thushara, Sachith Pathirana, Chaminda Vidanapathirana, Dilhara Fernando and Seekkuge Prasanna

Manager: C.P. P. Raj

Sanath Jayasuriya (Capt.), Upul Tharanga (V. Capt.), Saman Jayantha, Indika de Saram (wk), Tillakaratne Sampath, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Kosela Kulasekara, Tharanga Lakshitha, Lasith Malinga, Sujeewa de Silva, Anil Rideegammanagedera, Sachithra Senanayake, Ashan Priyanjan, Gihan de Silva and Sajeewa Weerakoon

Manager: Jayantha de Silva

Jehan Mubarak (Capt.), Jeevantha Kulatunga (V. Capt.), Mahela Jayawardene, Mahela Udawatte, Lanka de Silva, Tissara Perera, Sameera de Zoysa (wk), Damitha Hunukumbura, Shalika Karunanayake, Isuru Udana, Ishara Amerasinghe, Chanaka Welegedara, Rangana Herath, Kaushal Lokuarachchi and Michael Van Dort

Manager: Ashoka Pathirana

Dinesh Chandimal (Capt.), Angelo Perera (V. Capt.), Udara Jayasundera, Kushal Perera, Banuka Rajapaksha, Imesh Udayanga, Chathuranga de Silva, Sameera Weerasinghe, Wimanga Perera, Chathura Peiris, Lahiru Jayaratne, Malith Cooray, Vimukthi Perera, Matheesha Perera and Rushan Jaleel

Manager: (not named)

Wayamba v Basnahira South at SSC

Basnahira North v Kandurata at SSC*

Ruhuna v Schools XI at Moors

Wayamba v Schools XI at Moors

Ruhuna v Basnahira North at Moors

Basnahira South v Kandurata at P. Sara

Wayamba v Ruhuna at SSC

Basnahira South v Basnahira North at SSC

Kandurata v Schools XI at Police Park

Basnahira North v Wayamba at Colts

Ruhuna v Kandurata at Colts

Basnahira South v Schools XI at Moors

Basnahira South v Ruhuna at SSC

Kandurata v Wayamba at SSC

Basnahira North v Schools XI at P. Sara

1st Semi-final between No.1 and No.3 teams at SSC

2nd Semi-final between No.2 and No.4 at SSC

Final at SSC at 2.15 pm