Across sports, mixed doubles has brought men and women together on the same side, from tennis and badminton to table tennis. However, cricket is now preparing for a historic moment of its own. A new tournament will bring boys and girls into the same team structure, with their performances jointly deciding the outcome. Also Check: Pakistan cricket’s ‘secret fitness mantra’ strikes again! After Babar Azam-Mohammad Rizwan, women cricketers spark meme fest, watch Cricket's New Experiment Takes Shape The tournament, named Test Twenty, is scheduled to take place at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from November 14 to 29, 2026. According to reports published on October 16, the competition will introduce an 80-over format that combines elements of red-ball and white-ball cricket. 160 Young Players, Four Continental Teams The inaugural edition will feature 160 cricketers aged between 13 and 21, selected from around the world. They will be divided into four continental teams, each comprising 20 boys and 20 girls. Unlike conventional cricket, the girls' and boys' XIs will contribute to a shared team result. Their individual performances will count towards the combined score, making both groups equally important to the outcome. Two Formats, One Match Each match will unfold across two 40-over sessions within a single day. The opening session will use a red ball, with players wearing traditional whites during daylight. The second will switch to a white ball and coloured kits under floodlights. Scores from both sessions will combine to determine the result. A Different Approach To Team Success The format aims to make the contributions of both boys and girls central to the team's performance. Organisers have also outlined plans to extend this principle of parity to the tournament's broadcast coverage, ensuring equal representation for both groups. Cricket's Fourth Format? The tournament's advisory board includes former international stars AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden and Sir Clive Lloyd. Rajkumar Sharma will lead the Global Selection Committee, while Mike Fordham will oversee tournament operations. Must Check: Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India women’s cricket captain across all formats Test Twenty is being presented as a new format for the sport, offering young players an international platform to compete under a shared scoring system. Its debut in Colombo could mark a significant experiment in how cricket structures team competition. The tournament will test whether this approach can establish a place alongside the game's established formats.
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