The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has taken a groundbreaking step towards promoting women’s cricket in India. On Tuesday, they announced the launch of the Bengal Pro T20 tournament, featuring a unique men’s and women’s competition running concurrently in June 2024.
The women’s version of the Bengal Pro T20 holds immense significance. If successfully organized, it will be the first ever full-fledged women’s T20 franchise tournament run entirely by a state cricket association in India.
There will be separate venues for the men’s and women’s matches in the Bengal Pro T20 league. The men will play at the famous Eden Gardens, while the women’s games will be held at Jadavpur University’s Second Campus in Salt Lake. To get the most out of each day, there will be doubleheaders scheduled.
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CAB President Snehasish Ganguly unveiled the details of both tournaments and said, “All the eight teams will be franchises-owned, which will be a first [in India for a state association-run tournament]. We have still not finalized the franchises, which will be announced at a later date. he 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.”
Bengal Pro T20: Teams only allowed to have local players and coaches
The tournament is scheduled to run concurrently over a 21-day window in June of this year. To provide a platform for local talent, teams will be restricted to players and coaches from Bengal.
Apart from this, to ensure fair play and maintain high standards, all tournament rules will be modeled after the IPL, including those related to anti-corruption measures. Players will also be financially compensated through a predetermined salary cap system.
Bengal Pro T20: KKR in talks to own a team
According to PTI, the CAB is in talks with prominent entities like the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise owners, the Lucknow Super Giants ownership group, Bandhan Bank, Shrachi Group, and Rashmi Cement to acquire team ownership rights.
This move comes amidst long-standing criticism regarding limited opportunities for Bengal cricketers compared to their counterparts in states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. “This league will be the answer to that,” declared Ganguly. “Bengal boasts immense talent, but they’ve lacked a proper platform for exposure. The Bengal Pro T20 will be the perfect launchpad for them.”
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