October 02, 2007	Tuesday	Ramazan 19, 1428

COLOMBO, Oct 1: The Indian Premier League (IPL) received an encouragement as some top Sri Lankan cricketers including Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara signed on.

Although it will ultimately be down to various franchises to sign players onto their rolls, the latest declaration from Lalit Modi, the convenor of the IPL, makes it clear that these players are on board and available to be hired.

The signings of these players, along with Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Farveez Maharoof and Nuwan Zoysa is the latest move from the IPL, which already announced that players like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Stephen Fleming had expressed their interest to get on board.

“We at the IPL are committed to enticing an entire new generation of sports fans into the grounds by showcasing some of the best cricketing talent on offer from the world over. It is in line with this philosophy that we have signed eight of the current Sri Lankan squad,” Modi said while announcing the signings.

“We are also in talks with some of the finest players in the international cricketing arena. I promise Indian fans that the IPL will truly be one of the finest cricketing leagues anywhere in the world.”

Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan captain, though likely to play county cricket in England, will take part in the IPL before the English domestic season begins.

Speaking on behalf of the Sri Lankan players who joined the league, Jayawardene said: “Twenty20 cricket is an exciting new format for both cricket players and fans. We are all thrilled to be joining the IPL, an innovative venture that has the potential to fuel cricket’s growth around the world during the coming years. We are looking forward to making our mark in the league.”

These players who have signed on will be part of a central pool of designated players, that each of the franchises can choose from.—Agencies