Chris Gayle foregoes LPL 2020 deal despite not playing in New Zealand for West Indies

West Indies cricketer and T20 legend Chris Gayle has pulled out of the inaugural edition of the Lankan Premier League (LPL 2020). The news was confirmed by their franchise Kandy Tuskers on Twitter. To make matters worse for the Tuskers, just hours after Gayle opted out of the LPL 2020, England pacer Liam Plunkett also decided to give the tournament a miss.

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Chris Gayle pulls out of LPL 2020

Gayle's absence will be a huge blow for the Tuskers considering his recent form. The southpaw plied his trade in the recently-concluded Dream11 IPL 2020 for Punjab franchise where he was in scintillating form. During the course of the Dream11 IPL, Gayle also became the only batsman in the world to scored 1000 sixes in T20 cricket. Moreover, Gayle's decision to skip the LPL 2020 comes as a surprise, considering the fact that he is not a part of the West Indies' squad for the series against New Zealand.

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The LPL 2020 has already been going through all sorts of problems including player payments and contracts and the latest development comes just a day after former Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed pulled out from the T20 tournament. The Pakistan veteran was set to captain the Galle Gladiators franchise.

Lanka Premier League schedule

According to the Lanka Premier League schedule, the tournament is set to kick-off on November 21, with Colombo Kings taking on Galle Gladiators in the opening contest at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota. The organizers have also planned a special opening ceremony ahead of the clash. The stadium will host double-headers every day till the semi-finals. The first semi-final of the competition will take place on December 13, and the second semi-final will be held on December 14 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium.

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A total of five teams will battle it out for the ultimate championship. Galle Gladiators, Colombo Kings, Dambulla Hawks, Jaffna Stallions and Kandy Tuskers are the five teams. A total of 30 overseas players are expected to be in action on the Lanka Premier League this year. Just like the Dream11 Indian Premier League, a team will be allowed to have a maximum of four foreign players in their playing eleven. 

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SOURCE: PUNJAB IPL TEAM TWITTER