LA-based civil engineering firm becomes new owner of Dambulla franchise – Times of India

NEW DELHI: A civil engineering consulting firm based in Los Angeles has acquired the ownership of the Dambulla franchise in the Lanka Premier League, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced on Wednesday.

The team, previously known as Dambulla Thunders, has been renamed as ‘Dambulla Sixers’.

The former owner of the franchise, Tamim Rahman, a British Bangladeshi, was arrested for his involvement in match-fixing, leading to the termination of the team’s contract.

Sequoia Consultants, Inc., the new owner of the Dambulla franchise, is a prominent civil engineering consulting firm in Los Angeles, California.

The majority stake in the company is held by Mr. Priyanga De Silva, a former first-class cricketer who represented Sri Lanka U19 in 1983 and currently plays for the United States Masters Over 60 Cricket Team.

De Silva also dedicates his time as the head coach of the Southern California Youth Cricket Association, a non-profit organization, and owns several businesses in both the USA and Sri Lanka.

Expressing his motivation behind the acquisition, De Silva stated, “My desire to get engaged in cricket, especially cricket in Sri Lanka, prompted me to purchase the Dambulla Sixers team”.

The fifth edition of the Lanka Premier League is set to commence on July 1 and will be held across three cities: Kandy, Dambulla, and Colombo.

(With inputs from PTI)