LPL 2023: Colombo Strikers acquire Wahab Riaz, Niroshan Dickwella in auction

Colombo: The Colombo Strikers bolstered their side with several international and domestic players during the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 auction after picking Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz, Sri Lanka batter Niroshan Dickwella and others.

The experienced campaigner 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 dollars.

On the other hand, Ahmed's compatriot Wahab Riaz was acquired for 40,000 dollars. The fast bowler has taken a whopping 413 wickets in his T20 career so far.

The Strikers picked up Sri Lankan wicket keeper-batter Dickwella for 44,000 dollars. Dickwella has amassed 2,179 runs and effected 65 catches and 21 stumpings in T20s. Furthermore, the franchise also acquired Sri Lankan stars Pathum Nissanka and Lakshan Sandakan for 40,000 dollars and 30,000 dollars respectively at the LPL auction on Wednesday.

Top-order batter Nissanka has scored 2,040 runs in his T20 career while Sandakan has 83 scalps under his belt.

"We've put together a really strong side for our first season in the LPL. Acquiring international stars such as Wahab Riaz and Iftikhar Ahmed is a huge boost for us. The players will certainly gel well with our Icon Players, who were already part of our team. We are an explosive team and we can't wait to get on the park," the team owner Sagar Khanna said about the Colombo Strikers squad, in a media release.

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

The Colombo Strikers will take the field for the first time in the Lanka Premier League, set to be held in July-August 2023.

Colombo Strikers' squad for LPL 2023: Pathum Nissanka, Niroshan Dickwella, Wahab Riaz, Lakshan Sandakan, Movin Subasinghe, Nipun Dananjaya, Lahiru Udara, Sashika Dulshan, Eshan Malinga, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lorcan Tucker, Jeffrey Vandersay, Iftikhar Ahmed, Angelo Perera, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Kavishka Anjula, Ramesh Mendis, Mohammad Nawaz, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Yashoda Lanka Icon Players: Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Matheesha Pathirana and Chamika Karunaratne.