Lanka Premier League (LPL) will use new commercial and social media criteria to classify players for its sixth season. Tournament organisers added follower targets alongside international and franchise cricket experience ahead of the July-August competition.
Under the new rules, players must meet several conditions to apply for the top-tier Icon category. They need at least 75 international T20 appearances and more than 100 franchise T20 matches. They also need to feature in at least 30 matches during the last 18 months.
The league also added a social media benchmark. Icon-category applicants must hold more than 250,000 followers across their social platforms.
Organisers also revised the requirements for the Star category. Players need at least 30 international T20 matches and more than 75 franchise T20 appearances. They must also play at least 20 matches during the last 18 months. The social media requirement for that group stands at more than 150,000 followers.
The Classic category carries lower playing thresholds. Applicants need at least 20 international T20 matches and more than 50 franchise T20 appearances. They must also feature in 20 matches over the last 18 months.
League officials also want players in the Classic category to bring strong fan engagement and commercial appeal.
The changes show how franchise leagues now weigh marketing value alongside on-field records. Social media reach increasingly shapes sponsorship deals, fan engagement and player visibility across global T20 tournaments.
