Sri Lanka plans to welcome foreign players to compete for the first time for local teams in a revamped Twenty20 format, a top administrator said Saturday.
De Silva said Sri Lanka was initially looking at attracting cricketers from the sub-continent, particularly India.
Foreign sportsmen are currently allowed to play only in Sri Lankan rugby matches.
De Silva, who was vice captain when Sri Lanka won their only World Cup in 1996, said the Twenty20 format had created a new class of globe-trotting player.
"With IPL, the T20 format went a step further," he said.
"Just when Test cricket was sagging, IPL was formed three years back. The whole dynamics changed. Boundaries were cleared and players were merged from across the globe to form teams."
Sri Lanka's current inter-provincial tournament pits players from different parts of the island, but the series has failed to attract big-ticket advertisers.
"Viewers now have short attention spans. They want to see quick results," de Silva said, adding that Sri Lanka Cricket would announce the new structure soon.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
