Sri Lanka is set to host the inaugural Test Twenty tournament, a new cricket format that combines boys’ and girls’ matches into a single result, at the Singhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo from Nov. 14 to 29.
Organisers have described Test Twenty as cricket’s fourth format, introducing an 80-over competition featuring both red-ball and white-ball cricket in a single day.
According to a statement issued on Oct. 16, the tournament will bring together 160 young cricketers, aged 13 to 21, from around the world, competing in four continental teams.
Each team will consist of 40 players, including 20 girls and 20 boys, with separate girls’ and boys’ XIs contributing to a combined team score.
Under the new format, each match will feature 80 overs, with the first 40 played in traditional white clothing using a red ball during daylight hours.
The remaining 40 overs will be played in coloured clothing using a white ball under floodlights.
Scores from both halves will be combined to determine the winner, meaning runs scored by the girls’ and boys’ teams will contribute equally to the final result.
A toss will determine which team bats first and whether the girls’ or boys’ match takes place first.
Organisers said thousands of young cricketers from five continents had participated in selection trials over the past 300 days, with the final 160 players expected to be announced through a draft later this month.
The tournament’s advisory board includes former international cricket stars AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden and Sir Clive Lloyd, while the Global Selection Committee is chaired by Rajkumar Sharma, known for coaching Indian batting star Virat Kohli.
Test Twenty founder Gaurav Bahirvani said Sri Lanka had been selected as the inaugural host because of its strong school cricket culture and enthusiasm for the sport.
“We found the right home for it. Sri Lanka fills a stadium for a ‘schoolboy’ match. No country on earth loves its young cricketers the way this island does,” he said.
Bahirvani also thanked Sri Lanka Cricket and the SSC administration for supporting the initiative.
The tournament will begin with an opening ceremony on Nov. 14, with the final scheduled for Nov. 29 and Nov. 30 reserved as an additional day.
Organisers said all matches would be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network, with international broadcast and streaming arrangements also planned.
Test Twenty was created by Bahirvani and is owned by Parity Sports India Private Limited. (Newswire)
