Kandy Falcons

Kandy Falcons
LeagueLanka Premier League
Personnel
CaptainWanindu Hasaranga
CoachPiyal Wijetunge[1]
Team information
CityKandy, Central Province
Colors  Red
Founded2020: Kandy Tuskers
2021: Kandy Warriors
2022 & 2024: Kandy Falcons
2023: B-Love Kandy
Home groundPallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
Capacity35,000
History
LPL wins1

T20I kit

2024

Kandy Falcons (in 2022 and since 2024), formerly known as B-Love Kandy (2023), Kandy Warriors (2021), and Kandy Tuskers (2020), is a Sri Lankan franchise professional Twenty20 cricket team that competes in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), representing the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka which was founded in 2020. Chris Gayle signed up as the marquee overseas player and Kusal Perera as the local icon Player.[2][3] In October 2021, the team changed their name to Kandy Warriors after changing owners.[4] They further changed their name to Kandy Falcons in 2022.[5]

In 2023, prior to the LPL auction, the franchise was bought by the B-Love network led by Omar Khan.[6]

Seasons

[edit]
Year League table standing Final standing
2020 5th out of 5 League stage
2021 5th out of 5 League stage
2022 1st out of 5 Playoffs
2023 3rd out of 5 Champions
2024 4th out of 5 3rd

2022 season

[edit]

The team underwent three ownership and name changes in as many years. In the 2022 edition, the team signed Wanindu Hasaranga as part of the pre-draft signing.[7] Four West Indian players, Carlos Brathwaite, Fabian Allen, Oshane Thomas, and Andre Fletcher were drafted in for the franchise later.[8]

2024 season

[edit]

Sri Lanka Cricket severed the contract with B-Love Kandy in May 2024 citing breaches of contractual obligations. The franchisee B-Love Network is a Dubai-based cryptocurrency business.[9] However, B-Love Kandy participated in the player auction two days later.[10]

Current squad

[edit]
  • Sources: ESPNcricinfo,[11] ThePapare.com[12]
  • Players with international caps are listed in bold.
  •   denotes a player who was unavailable for rest of the season.
No. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Batting style Bowling style Year Signed Salary (US$) Notes
Batters
Shammu Ashan Sri Lanka (1998-01-09) 9 January 1998 (age 26) Right handed Right-arm off break 2024 5,000
Ashen Bandara Sri Lanka (1998-11-23) 23 November 1998 (age 25) Right handed Right-arm leg break 2024 28,000
72 Andre Fletcher Grenada (1987-11-28) 28 November 1987 (age 36) Right handed Right-arm medium-fast 2024 Direct signing Overseas
16 Dimuth Karunaratne Sri Lanka (1988-04-21) 21 April 1988 (age 36) Right handed Right-arm medium 2024 10,000
Pavan Rathnayake Sri Lanka (2002-08-24) 24 August 2002 (age 22) Right handed Right-arm off break 2024 5,000
Wicket-keepers
56 Dinesh Chandimal Sri Lanka (1989-11-18) 18 November 1989 (age 34) Right handed Right-arm off break 2024 40,000
29 Mohammad Haris Pakistan (2001-03-30) 30 March 2001 (age 23) Right handed Right-arm off break 2024 Direct signing Overseas
23 Azam Khan Pakistan (1998-08-10) 10 August 1998 (age 26) Right handed 2024 50,000 Overseas
All-rounders
67 Salman Ali Agha Pakistan (1993-11-23) 23 November 1993 (age 30) Right handed Right-arm off break 2024 10,000 Overseas
49 Wanindu Hasaranga Sri Lanka (1997-07-29) 29 July 1997 (age 27) Right handed Right-arm leg break 2023 Retained Local Icon Player; Captain
69 Angelo Mathews Sri Lanka (1987-06-02) 2 June 1987 (age 37) Right handed Right-arm medium 2023 Retained Local Platinum Player
21 Kamindu Mendis Sri Lanka (1998-09-30) 30 September 1998 (age 26) Left handed Slow left-arm orthodox, Right-arm off break 2023 Retained
25 Ramesh Mendis Sri Lanka (1995-07-07) 7 July 1995 (age 29) Right handed Right-arm off break 2024 10,000
7 Dasun Shanaka Sri Lanka (1991-09-09) 9 September 1991 (age 33) Right handed Right-arm medium 2024 84,000
Chaturanga de Silva Sri Lanka (1990-01-17) 17 January 1990 (age 34) Left handed Slow left-arm orthodox 2024 30,000
Spin bowlers
85 Lakshan Sandakan Sri Lanka (1991-06-10) 10 June 1991 (age 33) Right handed Left-arm wrist spin 2024 20,000
Pace bowlers
Mohammad Ali Pakistan (1992-11-01) 1 November 1992 (age 31) Right handed Right-arm medium-fast 2024 10,000 Overseas
5 Dushmantha Chameera Sri Lanka (1992-01-11) 11 January 1992 (age 32) Right handed Right-arm fast 2023 Retained
71 Chamath Gomez Sri Lanka (2004-07-01) 1 July 2004 (age 20) Right handed Right-arm medium 2024 5,000
87 Mohammad Hasnain Pakistan (2000-04-05) 5 April 2000 (age 24) Right handed Right-arm fast 2023 30,000 Overseas
47 Shoriful Islam Bangladesh (2001-06-03) 3 June 2001 (age 23) Left handed Left-arm medium-fast 2024 30,000 Overseas
Kavindu Pathiratne Sri Lanka (2002-08-09) 9 August 2002 (age 22) Left handed Right-arm medium-fast 2024 5,000
65 Kasun Rajitha Sri Lanka (1993-06-01) 1 June 1993 (age 31) Right handed Right-arm medium-fast 2024 26,000

Captains

[edit]
No. Player From To Mat Won Lost Tied NR Win%
1 Kusal Perera 2020 2020 8 2 5 1 0 31.25
2 Angelo Perera 2021 2021 8 2 6 0 0 25.00
3 Wanindu Hasaranga 2022 present 19 13 6 0 0 68.42
4 Angelo Mathews 2023 2023 1 1 0 0 0 100.00

Source: ESPNcricinfo, Last updated: 18 December 2021

Kit manufacturers and sponsors

[edit]
Year Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor (front) Shirt sponsor (back) Chest branding
2020 JAT Paints
2021 FairPlay Safexpay
2022 Speed Sports MazaPlay
2023 BFICoin
2024 SPD Clothing

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Kandy Falcons". mykhel.com. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  2. ^ Report, K. T. "LPL will boost interest and offer opportunities for youngsters, feel Jaffna team owners". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  3. ^ Scroll staff (19 October 2020). "Cricket: Gayle, du Plessis, Afridi among marquee names picked in Lanka Premier League draft". scroll.in. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Lanka Premier League's Kandy Franchise Get New Owners". News18. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  5. ^ "LPL 2022 Draft LIVE: Squads FINAL! Baby AB Dewald Brevis to make LPL debut with Kandy Falcons: Check LPL 2022 Full Squads". Inside Sports. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  6. ^ "LPL : New Kandy franchise owners announced". Newswire. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  7. ^ Balasuriya, Madushka (2 July 2022). "LPL 2022 draft: Kandy Falcons sign Hasaranga; Rajapaksa to turn out for Dambulla Giants". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Jimmy Neesham, Carlos Brathwaite headline overseas names for LPL". Daily Mirror. Wijeya Newspapers. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  9. ^ "SLC 'unloves' Kandy franchise owners ahead of LPL 5". The Sunday Times. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  10. ^ "SLC 'B-Loves' Kandy after 'Unloving' them". Newswire. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Pathirana, Udana, Janat the most expensive picks in LPL 2024 auction". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  12. ^ "LPL 2024 Auction: Full Squads of all 5 Teams". ThePapare. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.