Sri Lanka Cricket have confirmed that their rejuvenated Twenty20 competition will include foreign players and will be played between July 19 and August 4 this year.
The first edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) will involve seven provinces, who will each be allowed to field four foreign players per match - the same limit employed by the Indian Premier League.
Basnahira Bears, Kandurata Kites, Nagenahira Nagas, Ruhuna Rhinos, Uthura Oryxes, Uva Unicorns and Wayamba Wolves are the seven teams who will take part in the inaugural edition, with two more provinces slated to join the action within the next three years.
The competition will involve 24 matches, with all of the teams playing each other once before the top four teams qualify for the semi-finals.
All of the games will be held at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with the winner going on to compete in the Champions League Twenty20 in September.
Pakistan's limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi has already confirmed that he will captain one of the sides, having been offered $35,000 for the first season, with the amount doubling in 2012.
Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Herschelle Gibbs are also believed to have signed up for the tournament, while the likes of Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul Razzaq, Kevin O'Brien and Daniel Christian are also expected to take part.
Although wages will be significantly lower than those offered in the IPL, the tournament comes at a good time for international players from New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa, who have no international engagements lined up at that time.
It is a particular bonus for players from Pakistan, who have been excluded from the IPL due to political wrangling ever since the Mumbai terrorist attacks at the end of 2008.
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