The Lanka Premier League has introduced an odd benchmark ahead of its sixth season. Instead of categorising players purely on their T20 pedigree and ability, the Sri Lanka-based league has decided to bring social media popularity and commercial appeal into the equation as well.
According to the latest player regulations released by the league, overseas cricketers hoping to enter the top tier Icon category will now need more than just cricketing credentials. Players are required to have featured in at least 75 T20Is, played more than 100 franchise T20 matches, and appeared in 30 games in the last 18 months. Alongside that, the league has also mandated a social media following of more than 250,000.
The same social media threshold has been applied to the Star category as well. Players in that bracket must have featured in at least 50 T20Is, played more than 100 franchise T20 games, and participated in a minimum of 30 matches in the last 18 months, while also maintaining more than 250,000 followers across social platforms.
WHEN INSTAGRAM TAKES OVER CRICKET
For the Gold category, the criteria have been slightly relaxed. Players are required to have played at least 30 T20Is, more than 75 franchise T20 matches, and 20 matches over the past 18 months. However, they too must cross a popularity benchmark, with the league demanding a social media following exceeding 150,000.
Even the Classic category guidelines include non-cricketing considerations. Apart from needing 20 T20Is, more than 50 franchise appearances, and 20 recent matches, players must also demonstrate a “reasonable fan base and commercial appeal,” according to the regulations.
The move marks one of the rare instances of a franchise cricket league formally integrating social media influence into player classification rules, highlighting the growing importance of marketability in modern T20 cricket.
What makes the rule particularly odd is that the Lanka Premier League’s own social media pages have remained largely inactive since 2024. Sri Lankan cricket, historically, has also not exactly encouraged players to aggressively build their online brands.
The regulation therefore feels less like innovation and more like a league chasing visibility. Especially for a tournament whose Instagram following itself remains below the 100,000 mark.
The regulations further state that all overseas players must have either represented their national team or participated in recognised T20 tournaments, including leagues organised by Full Member Boards, International League T20 or Major League Cricket, within the last 12 months. Retired local players have been deemed ineligible for participation.
As per the new salary structure for Season 6, Icon and Star category players will fall in the USD 60,000 to 80,000 bracket, Platinum players will earn USD 50,000, Gold players USD 30,000, and Classic players USD 20,000.
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