The Cricket Association of Bengal announced the Bengal Pro T20, the first-ever women’s franchise-based T20 tournament in India, that will include coaches and players from Bengal only.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) announced a groundbreaking initiative- the launch of the Bengal Pro T20, a first-of-its-kind women’s franchise-based T20 tournament in India.
The inaugural edition of the Bengal Pro T20 is scheduled for June 2024 and will run for 21 days. Eight teams will compete in both the men’s and women’s categories, offering a platform for Bengal’s cricketing talent.
Speaking at a press conference at Eden Gardens, CAB President Snehasish Ganguly outlined the key features of the tournament. It was discussed that every day will feature double-header matches, with women’s matches played in the morning and afternoon at the Jadavpur University ground. Men’s matches will be held in the afternoon and evening at the iconic Eden Gardens.
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Men’s teams will have 17 players, and women’s teams will have 16 players, and all the players have to be from Bengal, as must the coaches. Notably, the tournament will follow the anti-corruption regulations currently in place for the Indian Premier League (IPL), ensuring fair play and ethical conduct.
“All eight teams will be franchise-owned, which will be a first [in India for a state association-run tournament]. We have still not finalised the franchises, which will be announced at a later date. The teams will be completely owned by franchises, and all players will be paid as per the salary cap. CAB will not incur any expense for the league,” said Ganguly, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
“For long, there had been criticism that Bengal cricketers were not getting opportunities like the ones from Tamil Nadu or Karnataka. This will be the answer to it. Bengal has a lot of talent, but they did not have a proper platform till now. This will be a perfect launch pad for them,” concluded Ganguly.
According to the PTI report, CAB met with the owners of Kolkata Knight Riders, the group that owns Lucknow Super Giants, Bandhan Bank, Shrachi Group, and Rashmi Cement, and they might be among others to own the team.
Last Updated on April 3, 2024
