Sri Lanka tour in doubt

Jayawardene: IPL bound

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Sri Lanka's tour of England may now be cancelled because of their players' involvement in the Indian Premier League, Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge has admitted.

England had been hoping that Sri Lanka could fill the void left be the cancellation of the Zimbabwe tour, but now the series remains in doubt.

A host of Sri Lankan players had already signed up for the IPL before the tour was announced, with the two set to clash.

There have been reports that some had threatened to retire from international cricket if they couldn't honour their IPL deals and it forced Lokuge to tell the SLC to release the players already contracted to play in the tournament.

England will not want to face an under-strength side before the Ashes, so the series may now be called off.

Lokuge told Sri Lankan newspaper the Daily Mirror: "I told (SLC) to release the 13 IPL-contracted Sri Lanka players to play the IPL tournament and select a team with the remaining group of players, who are also equally talented, for the England tour.

Problem

"If there is any problem it should discussed and sorted out.

"I understand that (England's) television rights and income for the proposed tournament could be jeopardised if you do not send the star players.

"That is why I told (SLC) to talk to the ECB and find a way out at the earliest if England finds it difficult to play with the team we select and send."

Among the players who have signed up for the IPL are big names Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakara, Sanath Jayasuriya and captain Mahela Jayawardene.

Sky Sports cricket expert Sir Ian Botham believes that if Sri Lanka don't send their big guns, then the series is pointless.

He told Sky Sports News: "If you ask me, it's a total waste of time.

"England have got the Ashes coming up and I do think it's an insult to the English public for them to send a weakened side and I think it's something the authorities should look at.

"It was not so long ago that England said they would send a weakened side to the ICC Champions Trophy and they were threatened with a big fine.

"You can saturate the market and with the Ashes coming up I don't think England need to clutter up their itinerary - especially if Sri Lanka send a weakened side."