The selection of players for the second round of the Ceylon Premier League cricket tournament has created controversy.

Posting a note on Twitter regarding the selection of the players, former cricket Captain Mahela Jayawardena said that Sri Lanka Cricket should not forget that this tournament is a local tournament to develop true talents.

The Jaffna Kings, Colombo Stars, Goal Gladiators, Kandy Warriors and Dambulla Giants will compete in the Lanka Premier League Cricket Tournament this year.

Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Dasun Shanaka, Dushmantha Chameera and Charith Asalanka were selected as the main local players for the five teams participating in the tournament.

Imran Tahir, Chris Gayle, Mohamed Hafeez, Roman Powell and Fuff Duplessis were selected as the key foreign players in those teams.

However, the most experienced players in Sri Lankan cricket today, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Janith Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva, have not been selected by any team.

In addition, young players Akila Dhananjaya, Praveen Jayawickrema, Sadira Samarawickrema and Minod Bhanuka who represented Sri Lanka did not get a place in any team.

However, the selection of Kusal Mendis, Danushka Goonetileke and Niroshan Dikwella, who have been convicted of disciplinary offences, by two teams has also come to the fore.

Former Sri Lanka Cricket captain Mahela Jayawardene has said in a post on his Twitter account that it is interesting to see the selections and certain selections of players for this year’s tournament and that it is difficult for a country to move forward if it is five feet behind.

He further said that Sri Lanka Cricket should not forget that this tournament is a local tournament to develop true talents.