COLOMBO: Cricket is set to experiment with a new format called “Test Twenty”, in which male and female players will compete in separate innings but contribute to the same team’s overall score.
The unique tournament will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from November 14 to 29, 2026, featuring 160 young cricketers aged between 13 and 21, according to the organisers.
The players will be divided into four continental teams, each comprising 20 boys and 20 girls. While male players will compete against boys and female players against girls, the winner will be determined by the combined scores of both groups.
Each match will consist of 80 overs, split into two distinct sessions. The first 40 overs will be played during the day with a red ball and traditional white clothing, while the remaining 40 overs will take place under floodlights using a white ball and coloured kits.
The format aims to combine elements of traditional Test cricket with a mixed-gender team structure, offering a different approach to the game.
The tournament’s advisory board includes former South African captain AB de Villiers, former Australian batter Matthew Hayden and former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd.
Meanwhile, Rajkumar Sharma, the childhood coach of Indian batting star Virat Kohli, will head the global selection committee.
The matches will be held at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club, with the final scheduled for November 29. All matches are expected to be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network.
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The tournament will test whether the innovative format can attract cricket fans and offer a new pathway for young male and female players to compete under a shared team structure.
