Explained: What is Test Twenty? World’s first-ever mixed-gender cricket tournament – All about game’s new format
A new format of cricket – Test Twenty – was launched on Friday in the presence of former Australia batter Matthew Hayden, ex-Sri Lanka cricketer Russel Arnold and well-known Indian coach Rajkumar Sharma. While ODIs, Tests and T20Is are already approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as the three traditional formats of the game, T10 cricket came a few years ago. Test Twenty is the new addition in the list.
The advisory board of Test Twenty features the likes of legendary figures like South African AB de Villiers, Hayden and West Indies’ captain Sir Clive Llyod. The Global Selection Committee will be chaired by Rajkumar while and Mike Fordham has been given the charge of operations.
Test Twenty has people who have played, coached, and run cricket at the highest level standing behind its youngest players. Later this month, the players’ draft names the final 160: 80 girls and 80 boys, the founding batch of Test Twenty.
What exactly is Test Twenty?
Test Twenty is world first-ever mixed gender cricket format, featuring an 80-over, four-innings contest with boys’ and girls’ teams contributing to the same match result. Test Twenty will feature two innings of 20 overs per side, with the first-innings scores carried forward into the second.
The format combines elements of Test and T20 cricket, with matches to be completed in a single day. The first 40 overs will be played in daylight with a red ball and players wearing whites. The remaining 40 overs will take place under floodlights, white ball and players in coloured clothing.
Format of Test Twenty
- Two innings of 20 overs per side, 80 overs in total per match.
- The Boys’ XI and Girls’ XI play together for the same outcome.
- Scores are carried forward from the first innings to the second.
- The follow-on is possible.
- A match can end in a win, loss, tie, or draw.
- A tie is decided by a Super Over.
- For a draw, the team batting last (in the fourth innings) must not lose more than four wickets until the final ball. The moment the fifth wicket falls, the draw is off the table, and the team plays for a win or a loss.
Who can play in Test Twenty?
Each franchise will field a Boys’ XI and a Girls’ XI, with players aged between 13 and 21 competing under the tournament’s ‘Parity Rule’. The tournament will open with a ceremony on November 14, while the final is scheduled for November 29.
Notably, thousands of young cricketers from five continents put their names forward. The best of them rose through trials on the ground and online over the last 300 days.
What is Parity Rule in Test Twenty?
At the heart of the concept is the revolutionary ‘Parity Rule’, which integrates male and female players into the same competitive ecosystem for the first time in cricket’s history. It will ensure that both are equal stakeholders in their franchise’s pursuit of victory. Under this system, no franchise can claim the championship without the combined contribution of both its male and female squads.
Who are Test Twenty franchises?
Test Twenty features four continental founding franchises: South Asia, Australasia, Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. Each represents a world region and embodies the game’s universal reach and diversity. Together, they represent cricket’s expanding global heartbeat and its enduring connection to India, the sport’s spiritual home.
The four teams play a six-match league stage, with each side facing the other three once. The league stage is followed by Qualifier 1, the Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and the Final on Sunday, 29 November.
Where to watch Test Twenty matches?
Sony Sports Network has been roped in as the broadcaster for the inaugural Test Twenty. The matches will be telecast live on Sony Sports. Live streaming of Test Twenty matches will be available on SonyLIV and FanCode app and websites.
