Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has made a big announcement on Wednesday (October 22), the Lanka Premier League 2025 has been postponed due to a special reason. 

Why the LPL 2025 is Postponed: ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Venue Preparation in Sri Lanka

India and Sri Lanka will jointly host the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 between February and March next year. According to International Cricket Council (ICC) guidelines, as the Cricket Stadiums and Host Nations' venues need to meet the quality demands of a major competition, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board has decided to postpone the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2025.

This Domestic T20 League can't be organised in the originally scheduled slot due to the necessary venue preparation for the Global Cricket Event.

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board stated, "As per the venue guidelines of the International Cricket Council (ICC), all host venues for the upcoming 20-team event must be in perfect condition to meet the demands of a major international competition."

Sri Lanka is also serving as one of the co-hosts for the ongoing ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025, along with India, where the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo is hosting 11 league stage matches. The stadium was slated to host one Semi-final and potentially the Tournament Final if the Pakistan Women's Cricket Team qualified for those knockout stages, but they have already been eliminated from the ODI Tournament.

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R. Premadasa Stadium to Host Semi-final & Final Matches for ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026

The postponement of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2025 will enable Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to fully focus on the stadium redevelopment necessary for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

This strategic decision ensures venue readiness for the major global cricket tournament. Media reports suggest that Sri Lanka is scheduled to host one Semi-final and could potentially stage the grand Final in Colombo, depending on whether Pakistan qualifies for the championship match (due to existing agreements between BCCI and PCB).

The R. Premadasa Stadium (RPICS) in Colombo is the clear frontrunner to host this crucial knockout stage Semi-final and the potential Final. SLC officials are actively monitoring the infrastructure upgrades at three Sri Lankan venues selected to organise the T20 World Cup matches.

 The essential renovation work at R. Premadasa Stadium is set to restart immediately following its hosting duties for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 fixtures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2025 postponed? 

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) postponed the LPL 2025 to dedicate its full focus and resources to the essential stadium redevelopment and venue readiness required for the co-hosted ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

When was the LPL 2025 originally scheduled to take place?

The LPL 2025 was originally scheduled to begin on December 1, 2025.

When will the postponed LPL tournament be held? 

New dates for the LPL's sixth season have not yet been announced. SLC has stated it will be shifted to a "more suitable window."

Which major global cricket tournament is Sri Lanka preparing to host? 

Sri Lanka will co-host the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 with India.

Which Sri Lankan stadium is expected to host a major knockout match? 

The R. Premadasa Stadium (RPICS) in Colombo is the clear frontrunner to host one of the Semi-finals.

The Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2025 is going to make history as the Indian players are expected to be part of the competition for the very first time. The upcoming sixth season of the event, which will begin on December 01, will be one of the craziest editions in the presence of the Indian players, who will bring a different flavor to the premier T20 competition of Sri Lanka.

Dinesh Karthik, the former wicket-keeper batter of the Indian side and the current mentor of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) of the Indian Premier League (IPL), featured in the last season of the SA20 for the Paarl Royals. Many reckon that he could also look to be a part of the LPL 2025, which will add more star power to the tournament.

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A total of 13 Indian players- Piyush Chawla, Siddharth Kaul, Ankit Rajpoot, Sarul Kanwar, Anureet Singh Kathuria, Ansari Marouf, Mahesh Ahir, Nikhil Jaga, Mohamed Faidh, KS Naveen, Imran Khan, Venkatesh Galipelly, and Atul Yadav, who was part of the SA20 auction list, have made it into the LPL.

Piyush Chawla, Siddarth Kaul, and others likely to play in upcoming Lanka Premier League 2025

Among these names, Chawla, Kaul, and Rajpoot will bring a huge experience of the IPL. The premier leg spinner of the national side has represented them at the international level, along with his incredible success in the franchise league. If he indeed makes it into the LPL, it will be a significant move for Indian cricket as the BCCI will allow their retired players to be part of the foreign T20 leagues.

Irfan Pathan and Munaf Patel could also be part of the competition, which will feature five franchises in a double round-robin format, with 20 league matches. The top four sides will then progress into the playoffs, including the Eliminator, Qualifier 1 and 2, and the final.

Ravichandran Ashwin, the premier Indian spinner who retired from international cricket and IPL recently, will feature in the Big Bash League (BBL) for the Sydney Thunder, being the very first Indian player to be part of the tournament. The LPL 2025 will add a thrilling chapter in franchise cricket in the presence of Indian players.

BCCI is trying to push for the removal of ACC President Mohsin Naqvi, and there are reports that the Board has proposed a deal with the Sri Lanka board. This deal is to send retired cricket stars to participate in the 2025 Lanka Premier League.

India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the Asia Cup final; however, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side refused to receive the winner's trophy from the ACC Chief, Mohsin Naqvi, as he also holds a position in Pakistan's internal ministry and heads the PCB.

Following this, the controversy further escalated, with Naqvi too taking it personally, as he too vented out his frustration on the Indian team and the BCCI, taking the trophy away and forcing India to take it only from the ACC headquarters. The BCCI, after the move, has vowed to take action against the ACC Chairman Mohsin Naqvi; they had also threatened to dethrone him from the position of chairperson of the Asian Cricket Council.

Reports Reveal BCCI’s Plan and PCB’s Response

"BCCI is trying to push Chairman ACC Mohsin Naqvi down in the Asian Cricket Council," claimed reports from Pakistani reporter Abubakar Bin Tallat. "Their plan? Offering Sri Lanka’s board a deal: send India’s recently retired cricket stars (think big names!) to play in the 2025 Lanka Premier League," the reports from the abovementioned source also revealed.

"But PCB will not be backing down, and Naqvi is ready to stand strong and protect the influence in Asian cricket," the reporter added. Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council chief, was reported to be honoured by his country's government for his stance against India in the Asia Cup final. While the actions following the Asia Cup final in Dubai were criticised by several cricket boards around the globe, it seems a matter of pride for Pakistan.

🚨🚨 Breaking Update: BCCI is trying to push Chairman ACC Mohsin Naqvi down in the Asian Cricket Council. Their plan? Offering Sri Lanka’s board a deal: send India’s recently retired cricket stars (think big names!) to play in the 2025 Lanka Premier League. But PCB will not be… pic.twitter.com/lcHliefU7O

— Abubakar Bin Tallat (@AbubakarAbbasii) October 7, 2025

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As per the reports, the award ceremony would include Naqvi being honoured with a gold medal, while PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was invited as the chief guest, though the date has not been finalised yet.

The 6th edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) is returning later this year. After being suspended in July, the league will now take place from December 1 to 23, 2025. This will be the first time the LPL has taken place in the December window, giving fans more cricket to enjoy during the festive period. .

According to a report from IANS, the upcoming edition will feature a total of 24 matches, comprising 20 league fixtures and 4 knockout games, hosted across three premier venues – R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, and Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in Dambulla. The report also added that Indian cricketers are also set to feature in the Lanka Premier League for the first time in history. "For the very first time, Indian cricketers are expected to join the action; their names will be revealed soon, adding a whole new level of excitement for fans across the region," a press release said.

It is likely that R Ashwin, Dinesh Karthik, and also the likes of Piyush Chawla will register their name for the LPL. Although, it is worth noting that in the past, Irfan Pathan has played in Sri Lanka's premier T20 league. “The timing of this edition has been carefully chosen to ensure that players gain maximum exposure and high-quality match practice in the lead-up to a global cricketing year. Over the seasons, the LPL has emerged as a breeding ground for fresh talent, with several youngsters making their mark alongside international stars. This year too, we believe the league will throw up exciting new names who can go on to spring surprises on the world stage ahead of the World Cup,” Samantha Dodanwela, Tournament Director, LPL, said.

Tournament promises exciting action

LPL Tournament Director Samantha Dodanwela said the timing of this season has been chosen carefully so players can gain good match experience before a busy cricketing year. The LPL has helped many young Sri Lankan players make a name for themselves, and this year’s edition is expected to do the same.

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The 2025 edition will feature five teams, but details about them are yet to be confirmed. Interestingly, the LPL will also clash with the ILT20 and BBL 2025–26, which could make player selection and scheduling quite interesting.