The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) unveiled the Bengal Pro T20 League in a grand event held on Friday, May 3, in Kolkata. The launch was attended by former cricketers Sourav Ganguly and Jhulan Goswami, who shared their excitement about the formation of the new league. The Bengal Pro T20 League will begin on June 11, with the final taking place on June 28.
Eight star-studded teams in Bengal Pro T20 League
In the men’s competition, Abishek Porel has been named the marquee player for the Kolkata Royal Tigers. Former Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary will represent the Harbour Diamonds, while veteran batter Abhimanyu Easwaran will play for the Rashmi Medinipur Wizards. The Servotec Siliguri Tigers will have Akash Deep in their squad.
Shahbaz Ahmed is the marquee player for the Rarh Tigers, with Anustup Majumdar representing the Adamas Howrah Warriors. Mukesh Kumar will be part of the Malda Sobisco Smashers, while Sudip Gharami will play for the Murshidabad Kings.
During the launch event, former India captain Sourav Ganguly expressed his delight at the league’s formation, stating that this project was long overdue and would serve as a game-changer for Bengal cricket. He encouraged the players to seize the opportunity to showcase their talents and prepare for bigger platforms.
“I wish the CAB officials and the players great success. This will be a massive game-changer for Bengal cricket. It is long due, actually. The players will now not only get an excellent platform to showcase their talent but also to live through the whole experience as they do in an IPL, preparing them for bigger platforms. They must make the most of it and give out their best,” Ganguly said, according to India Blooms.
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Bengal Pro T20 League to be the first regional women’s T20 tournament
Bengal made history by becoming the first regional cricket board to launch a women’s T20 tournament. While other states like Maharashtra and Karnataka have organized exhibition matches for women during men’s tournaments, Bengal took a significant step by forming an eight-team league. This women’s T20 tournament will feature renowned players like Deepti Sharma (Murshidabad Kings), Titas Sadhu (Rarh Tigers), and Richa Ghosh (Rashmi Medinipur Wizards), among others.
Jhulan Goswami, a legendary cricketer and former pacer, shared her enthusiasm for the new women’s league. She noted that Bengal has a history of contributing women cricketers to the Indian national team and anticipated that the new league would help increase those numbers.
“I am looking forward to the Bengal Pro T20 League. Bengal has been contributing to the Indian women’s team on a regular basis. Presently, many girls are representing India from Bengal. I am very sure with this league taking place, we will see more players from Bengal representing at the top level very soon. I must congratulate CAB for taking this initiative,” Goswami added.
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