SRI LANKA WILL PLAY ONLY TWO TESTS IN THE YEAR 2013

Owing to the effect of the shortest T/20 version of the game, Sri Lanka would get the opportunity to play in only two tests in the year 2013:

Owing to allowing cricketers to earn money on contract basis, by playing for various franchises which has become very popular. It has become somewhat a sought after way of earning quick huge sums of money. Sri Lanka too has to face a major calamity as far as our Test match schedules are concerned. Accordingly the cricket’s governing body the ICC who schedules all Test and ODI matches has been able to allocate only two Tests for Sri Lanka in the coming year 2013.These two tests are also against weak opponents, the minnows in world cricket, Bangladesh it is reliably reported.
In the current year 2012 Sri Lanka were allowed to participate in 10 Tests. However owing to the increase in the shortest versions T/20 with the SLPL also coming forward, the governing body of world cricket the ICC cannot schedule any matches as players from almost all Test playing nations have signed contracts with numerous franchise owners to participate in the Indian Premier League and Sri Lanka Premier League during the major part of the year 2013.In addition the annual Champions League tournament has been scheduled to be held in England. Hence the ICC is not in a position to allocate Sri Lanka to participate in more than just two Tests in the year 2013.
There were however a Test series and a tri series that were scheduled for Sri Lanka against Australia and the tri series tournament involving Sri Lanka, West Indies and India. The Test series scheduled against Australia during the month of December 2012 has been postponed to January 2013.The two Test series against Bangladesh are only two tests that Sri Lanka would play in the year 2013.The other scheduled tests have been all scrapped owing to the above precedence.
The Tests that were scheduled for April 2013 against the West Indies had been cancelled owing to the clashing of the dates with the Indian Premier League tournament. The three Test match series against South Africa already scheduled has been cancelled owing to Sri Lanka’s own SLPL T/ 20 tournament schedule. Accordingly Sri Lanka had been deprived of taking part in seven Tests and at a time when Sri Lanka were looking for younger players to be groomed to replace those in line for retirement owing to ageing. This has become a strong drawback for Sri Lanka cricket and the opportunities for budding youngsters.
During the month of September 2013 the Champions League tournament has been scheduled to be held in England. The two Tests against Zimbabwe and the tri series tournament of Sri Lanka, India and the West Indies too had been scrapped owing to the above factors. However the Pakistan test team is due to arrive in Sri Lanka in the latter part of 2013 and a test series is scheduled to be played only in the early part of the year 2014.