5 IPL 2023 stars who are playing in Lanka Premier League

Matheesha Pathirana (Source -Twitter)

The Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 kicked off on July 30 in Colombo with a match between the Jaffna Kings and Colombo Strikers in Sri Lanka. The league comprises five teams, including B-Love Kandy, Dambulla Aura, and Gale Titans, in addition to the Kings and Strikers.

The LPL was inaugurated in 2020 and the aim is to provide the young players in Island nations with the opportunity to shine and play with prominent International cricketers. Team owners have managed to bring some key players this time, with the likes of Babar Azam, David Miller, Matthew Wade, and many more, adding star power to the league. 

Here is the list of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 stars who are playing in LPL 2023-

5. Noor Ahmad (Dambulla Aura/Gujarat Titans) 

Noor Ahmad (Source- Twitter)

Noor Ahmad played for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2023, and this time he is wearing the Dambulla Aura jersey in the LPL. The left-arm spinner was quite impressive for the GT side, as he dismissed 16 batters in 13 games played, with the best figure of 3/37. Gujarat's side was defeated in the finals of the 16th edition of the IPL by the Chennai Super Kings, but Ahmad was their star performer with his two wickets. 

The Afghani cricketer is in the Dambulla squad with the likes of Shahnawaz Dahani, Hayden Kerr, Dhananjaya de Silva, Avishka Fernando, Alex Ross, Kusal Mendis, and Kusal Perera, are in the squad alongside Noor in the LPL 2023. 

4. Maheesh Theekshana (Jaffna Kings/CSK)

Maheesh Theekshana (Source- Twitter)

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) spinner Maheesh Theekshana is playing in the LPL 2023 for Jaffna Kings. In this edition, Theekshana was a crucial member of the winning CSK team. He managed to take 11 wickets in 13 matches. The 23-year-old made his debut for Sri Lanka in 2021, and he was part of the Lankan side in their successful voyage in the 2022 Asia Cup. 

The right-arm off-spinner was brought by the CSK side in the 2022 edition. Now, on the King's side, he has David Miller, Chris Lynn, Shoaib Malik, Charith Asalanka, Thisara Perera, Dilshan Madushanka, and Asela Guarantee alongside him. 

3. Matheesha Pathirana (Colombo Strikers/CSK)

Matheesha Pathirana, who is known as ‘Baby Malinga’ for his action, was part of the CSK side, that lifted the title for the fifth time in the IPL. Pathirana ended with 19 wickets in the 12 games he played in the season, where he usually bowled death overs for the MS Dhoni-led side. 

The right-arm pacer is now a member of the Colombo Strikers in LPL 2023 and is sharing the dressing room with Pakistan’s skipper Babar Azam. It is pertinent to mention that he is the youngest foreign player to win the IPL trophy. The 20-year-old made his ODI debut against Afghanistan just after the IPL 2023 got over. 

2. Wanindu Hasaranga (B-Love Kandy/RCB)

Wanindu Hasaranga (Source- Twitter)

Wanindu Hasaranga, the Sri Lankan all-rounder, played for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL 2023, but he didn't feature in every match due to his national duties. Although in eight games played, he picked up nine wickets at an average of 28.66. 

Hasaranga, in LPL 2023, is leading the B-Love Kandy side and in his squad he has Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Isuru Udana, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Fakhar Zaman. The 27 year is old is currently considered the world's best white-ball cricketer. He made his International debut in 2017. Hasaranga is the first Sri Lankan to take a hat-trick in T20 World Cup, the leg spinner also picked up a hat trick in his debut ODI match. 

1. David Miller (Jaffna Kings/Gujarat Titans)

David Miller (Source- Twitter)

David Miller is a star South African batter who is one of the hardest hitters in the IPL. Miller was an essential part of the Gujarat Titans (GT) side in 2022 when they lifted the title, and now in the last edition, they were the runner-ups. Miller finished with 259 runs, including over a 145 strike rate for the Titans side. 

The left-handed batter recently played in the USA’s Major League Cricket for Texas Kings. Now, the 34 year is with the Jaffna Kings in the LPL 2023. Miller is an aggressive middle-order batter and is known for his last-over heroics.