CAB announces Bengal Pro T20 League exclusively for state's male and female cricketers

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has announced its first-ever regional cricket league, the Bengal Pro T20. The tournament will see players across the state participating in an IPL-like tournament. Notably, both male and female players will have their respective tournaments.

The inaugural edition will feature eight teams each across the men’s and women’s tournaments and will be named after the state’s cities and districts. The tournament will be played across 21 days and is scheduled to commence soon after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League, in early June.

The league will be restricted to Bengal cricketers, and will not allow the participation of players from any other state. Additionally, the teams will not be allowed to have an outsider coach, thereby keeping the tournament exclusively for the state of Bengal.

“We've been planning to organise a franchise-based league for some time now. After conducting a thorough study of similar leagues in India and abroad, we're finally prepared to launch the Bengal Pro T20 League this year. We've obtained all the necessary permissions from the BCCI, and the blueprint for the league is firmly in place,” CAB President Snehasish Ganguly said at a press meet at Eden Gardens.

Our goal is to ensure that this league sets the standard for excellence, providing budding talents from all corners of West Bengal with the exposure and opportunities they need to play cricket at a professional level. We'll have 8 franchise teams, each comprising both men's and women's teams as per the criteria and pool provided by the CAB,” he added.

---

Bengal Pro T20: All you need to know

Bengal’s cricket board announced the Bengal Pro T20 on Tuesday, April 2, and the first season of the tournament will be played in June 2024. At the press conference, CAB President Snehasish Ganguly put forth a few details regarding the tournament.

1. Thirty-one matches will be played throughout the tournament, which will have league and knockout games.

2. A total of 264 cricketers will get a chance to showcase their talent on the big stage. The eight men’s teams will have 17 players while the eight women’s teams will have 16 members. All players and coaches must be from Bengal.

3. Players will be drafted from the Bengal senior team and also from the district areas after a rigorous drafting process in accordance with CAB’s rules.

4. Eden Gardens will play host to the men’s tournament and Jadavpur University Ground will host the women’s tournament.

5. Two matches will be hosted every day across both the men's and women's leagues. While the men will have an afternoon and an evening match, the women will have one match each in the morning and afternoon.

6. All the rules followed in IPL will apply to this regional tournament.

7. The BCCI's Anti-Corruption Unit will oversee the entire league, and the CAB will also implement a code of conduct for all teams that is similar to the ICC and BCCI codes of conduct. Throughout the competition, players and members of the teams stay in five-star hotels.

8. The winners and runner-ups will be awarded cash prizes in both the men’s and women’s tournaments.

9. The men’s tournament will have a live broadcast on a prominent sports channel while the women’s tournament will be live-streamed on a renowned OTT platform.

10. Fans will get free entry to the stadiums at both venues.