LPL: Colombo Strikers acquire Iftikhar Ahmed, Niroshan Dickwella, Wahab Riaz in auction

Colombo [Sri Lanka], June 15 (ANI): Colombo Strikers bolstered their side with several international and domestic players during the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 Auction in Colombo on Wednesday.

Iftikhar Ahmed emerged as the most expensive player for the Strikers.
The Pakistan batter, who has scored 4,309 runs in T20s, was picked up for $50,000. Meanwhile, Ahmed’s compatriot Wahab Riaz was acquired for $40,000. The fast bowler has taken 413 wickets in his T20 career so far, as per a press release from Colombo Strikers.

The Strikers picked up Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella for $44,000. Dickwella has amassed 2,179 runs and effected 65 catches and 21 stumpings in T20s. The Colombo franchise also acquired Sri Lankan stars Pathum Nissanka and Lakshan Sandakan for $40,000 and $30,000 respectively. Top-order batter Nissanka has scored 2,040 runs in his T20 career, meanwhile, Sandakan has 83 scalps under his belt.

The Colombo Strikers had announced a star-studded ‘Icon Players’ line-up in May. The Icon Players included Pakistan Captain Babar Azam, Pakistan speedster Naseem Shah and Sri Lankan T20 stars Matheesha Pathirana and Chamika Karunaratne.

Colombo Strikers’ squad for LPL 2023: Pathum Nissanka ($40,000), Niroshan Dickwella ($44,000), Wahab Riaz ($40,000), Lakshan Sandakan ($30,000), Movin Subasinghe ($10,000), Nipun Dananjaya ($5,000), Lahiru Udara ($10,000), Sashika Dulshan ($6,500), Eshan Malinga ($5,000), Nuwanidu Fernando ($20,000), Lorcan Tucker ($10,000), Jeffrey Vandersay ($20,000), Iftikhar Ahmed ($50,000), Angelo Perera ($20,000), Dhananjaya Lakshan ($20,000), Kavishka Anjula ($5,000), Ramesh Mendis ($26,000), Mohammad Nawaz ($30,000), Ahan Wickramasinghe ($5,000), Yashoda Lanka ($5,000); Icon Players: Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Matheesha Pathirana and Chamika Karunaratne.

The Colombo Strikers will take the field in the Lanka Premier League in July-August 2023.