The Lanka Premier League franchise Dambulla Thunders has been renamed 'Dambulla Sixers' following its acquisition by a California-based investor, Priyanga De Silva. The ownership change, announced by Sri Lanka Cricket and the LPL, aims to rejuvenate the team ahead of the upcoming LPL season.
Dambulla Thunders, a franchise in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), has undergone a transformation under new ownership from a California-based investor. The team has been rebranded as 'Dambulla Sixers,' as announced in a joint statement by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the LPL. The ownership has transferred to DeSilva Holdings, led by Priyanga De Silva, a Chartered Civil Engineer and CEO of Sequoia Consultants, Inc.
Dambulla Sixers!!! pic.twitter.com/rvHplyi1N0
— wajith.sm (@sm_wajith)Priyanga De Silva, a former first-class cricketer who represented Sri Lanka U19 in 1983 and currently plays for the United States Masters Over 60 Cricket Team, expressed his enthusiasm for joining cricket operations in Sri Lanka. He also volunteers as head coach for the Southern California Youth Cricket program.
This change follows the arrest and remand of former owner Tamim Rahman on May 23 due to an allegation of match-fixing. Despite the change in ownership, the team's players remain unchanged, including Mustafizur Rahman, who will continue to play for Dambulla Sixers in the upcoming LPL edition.
De Silva remarked, "My passion for cricket, particularly in Sri Lanka, inspired me to acquire the Dambulla Sixers team. I've witnessed the impressive growth of the LPL over the past four years, which is remarkable for a small country like ours. I'm excited to contribute to this growth and the development of cricket in Sri Lanka."
The fifth edition of the Lanka Premier League is set to commence on July 1, with matches scheduled across Kandy, Dambulla, and Colombo.