The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) will organise India’s first state-run women’s T20 tournament, the Bengal Pro T20 League. It will be held alongside the men’s tournament in Kolkata.

In the past, several state associations have organised their own men’s T20 tournaments, the most prominent ones being the Tamil Nadu Premier League, the Maharaja Trophy by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and the Uttar Pradesh T20 League.

It is also understood that the CAB will host a separate Women’s T20 and One-Day Club Tournament to promote and nurture the talents in Bengal.

When will the Bengal Pro T20 be played?

The tournament will take place over a 21-day window in June, with ten teams in both the men’s and women’s events. Every day is a double-header day: women’s matches will be held in the morning and the afternoon; men’s matches will be held in the afternoon and the evening

What is the format of Bengal Pro T20?

The tournament will be held in a league-and-knockout format with a total of 31 games for each men’s and women’s teams.

Apart from this, to ensure fair play, all tournament rules will be modelled after the IPL, including those related to anti-corruption measures.

How many teams will participate in the league?

Eight franchises named after the cities and districts of West Bengal will lock horns in the maiden season. Men’s teams will have 17 players, and women’s teams will have 16 players, and all the players as well as the coaches have to be from Bengal.

What will be the venue for Bengal Pro T20?

The men’s matches will be held at Eden Gardens, and the women’s at the Jadavpur University ground in Kolkata, a regular venue for senior domestic matches.

Where to watch the Bengal Pro T20?

CAB have confirmed that the men’s matches will be telecast live on one of the top sports channels. Meanwhile, the women’s games will be live-streamed on an OTT platform.