The Lanka Premier League (LPL) continues to run into teething issues, with some franchise owners describing the tournament's organisation as "chaotic" less than 10 days out. Sri Lanka Cricket, however, remains adamant that in spite of late changes in personnel, and the major logistcal challenges that continue to arise, LPL 2020 will begin as scheduled, on November 26. On Tuesday, the tournament announced its principal sponsor, My11Circle, a fantasy sports platform.

Among the LPL's personnel changes have been the exits of Dav Whatmore, who was to coach the Colombo Kings franchise, and that of Jon Lewis, who had picked the Dambulla team in the draft, and had been due to coach that side. Whatmore has been replaced with former England fast bowler Kabir Ali.

There is also uncertainty about Chris Gayle's involvement in the league. Although coaching staff of his Kandy Tuskers franchise said he is expected in Sri Lanka on November 19, ESPNcricinfo understands that Gayle is still negotiating the terms of his contract with the Tuskers, and that his arrival in Sri Lanka has already been delayed once. Fast bowlers Wahab Riaz and Liam Plunkett are out of the tournament for certain, however, and the Tuskers have picked former India quick Munaf Patel, and Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir. Munaf last played a T20 in 2017, but Tanvir is an active player, having been part of Multan Sultans' campaign in this year's PSL.

The Jaffna Stallions franchise, meanwhile, have announced a slew of new foreign players, including former South Africa fast bowlers Kyle Abbott and Duanne Olivier, as well as former England batsman Ravi Bopara. These players will replace Pakistan batsman Asif Ali and England batsman Dawid Malan, who is unavailable due to being picked for England's forthcoming tour of South Africa.

"Everything is in the pipeline for the tournament, and all that is left is for everything to be delivered," LPL director Ravin Wickramaratne told ESPNcricinfo. "Today there is a press release about the title sponsor, and a broadcaster will be announced soon also.

"Most of the franchisees are coming to the island - the owners and other management staff. Players have also started arriving and Andre Russell is coming tomorrow."

Broadcast crews and staff belonging to IPG - the Dubai-based tournament organiser - have also arrived, and are undergoing quarantine in various hotels near to Sooriyawewa ground, where the tournament is scheduled to be played in its entirety. Players must isolate for three days in the hotel, before they are allowed to begin training in small clusters, until eventually the whole tournament goes into a big bubble, contingent on the results of Covid-19 tests.

The concerns of some of the franchises centre around the ad-hoc nature in which this tournament is coming together. Some are also worried that player contracts have not been signed yet, and the 40% advance that is due to go to players before the tournament starts, have not yet been paid in most cases. Wickramaratne confirmed that this has been an issue, and said that stricter financial controls put in place by many countries due to the pandemic has made international money transfers more difficult.

"Player contracts have been delivered, and they will have to come back to us with their lawyers and all that," Wickramaratne said. "There have been issues with transferrring money. We'll talk to franchisees when they arrive. Before the tournament starts they will have to pay 40% to the players."