Test Twenty, Cricket’s Fourth Format, to Debut in Colombo With Boys and Girls Combining for One Score

Test Twenty, Cricket’s Fourth Format, to Debut in Colombo With Boys and Girls Combining for One Score

The original Newswire image accompanying its report on the inaugural Test Twenty tournament. Image credit: Newswire.

Sri Lanka is set to host the inaugural Test Twenty tournament at the Singhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo from 14 to 29 November 2026, bringing an innovative format of youth cricket to the island. The tournament is planned as an 80-over, single-day contest in which separate boys’ and girls’ XIs represent the same team, and their scores are combined to decide one result.

Organisers describe Test Twenty as cricket’s fourth format. That description reflects the ambition of its creators; the competition is an upcoming, privately owned initiative, rather than an established international format. Its central idea, however, is clear: young cricketers will play red-ball and white-ball cricket in one match, while boys’ and girls’ performances will carry equal weight on the scoreboard.

A single match, two cricket settings

According to the tournament announcement, each match will consist of 80 overs. The opening 40 overs are scheduled for daylight, with players wearing traditional whites and using a red ball. The remaining 40 overs will be played under floodlights, with coloured clothing and a white ball.

The tournament format brings the boys’ and girls’ XIs together in a shared team contest. Their runs will be added to the same total, so neither side’s score is a separate result: both contribute equally to whether the team wins. The toss will determine which team bats first and whether the girls’ or boys’ match is played first.

That structure is the defining feature of Test Twenty. It places different cricketing conditions within one day, while making the outcome dependent on contributions from both XIs. The format is designed to give young players experience across red-ball and white-ball conditions, and to give girls and boys an equal stake in the team result.

AI-generated illustration of the dual red-ball and white-ball format. Image: eLanka.

160 young players from four continents

The inaugural tournament is expected to feature 160 cricketers aged between 13 and 21, divided into four continental teams. Each team is set to have a 40-player squad, comprising 20 girls and 20 boys, with separate XIs taking the field.

Organisers say thousands of young cricketers from five continents took part in selection trials over the past 300 days. The final 160 players are due to be announced through a draft later in October. The selection process will bring together players from across the world, creating a platform for emerging cricketers to compete beyond their local and national pathways.

For young players, an international tournament of this kind could offer valuable exposure to unfamiliar teammates, conditions and approaches to the game. Its age range also spans a significant period of development, when opportunities to play at a high level can be instrumental in building confidence and experience.

Colombo and the strength of school cricket

Sri Lanka’s role as the inaugural host draws attention to the island’s long-standing enthusiasm for cricket, particularly its school competitions. Gaurav Bahirvani, founder of Test Twenty, connected the choice of venue to that tradition.

> “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.”

Bahirvani also thanked Sri Lanka Cricket and the SSC administration for supporting the initiative. The tournament is owned by Parity Sports India Private Limited.

Colombo’s hosting role is a point of pride for Sri Lankan cricket, whose school matches have long formed a visible part of the country’s sporting culture. The selection of the SSC for the opening edition places that tradition at the centre of a tournament intended to draw young players from across the world. It also gives local spectators an opportunity to see a new competition take shape on familiar ground.

The arrival of a global youth tournament could provide encouragement to young cricketers in Sri Lanka, while connecting the island’s cricketing community with players and families overseas. Its focus on emerging talent is particularly notable: rather than centring the event on established senior stars, the tournament is being built around the next generation.

Experienced cricket figures involved

The tournament’s advisory board includes former international players AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden and Sir Clive Lloyd. The Global Selection Committee is chaired by Rajkumar Sharma, who is known for coaching Indian batter Virat Kohli.

The involvement of experienced figures provides the project with recognised cricket expertise as it prepares for its inaugural tournament. It also reflects the organisers’ stated intention to build a structured competition around young players, from selection through to broadcast.

All matches are scheduled to be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network. International broadcast and streaming arrangements are also planned, although further details have not yet been set out in the sources cited here.

November schedule

The tournament is scheduled to begin with an opening ceremony on 14 November at the SSC in Colombo. The final is set for 29 November, with 30 November reserved as an additional day.

As the first edition approaches, Test Twenty will be watched for how its combined scoring system and two-ball, two-clothing format work in practice. Its key innovation is not simply the change from red ball to white ball, but the requirement that boys’ and girls’ XIs contribute to one shared outcome. If delivered as planned, the tournament will give Sri Lanka a distinctive role in launching a new youth competition, while placing equal participation at the heart of its cricketing design.

This article was written based on the sources https://www.newswire.lk/2026/10/16/test-twenty-crickets-fourth-format-to-launch-in-sri-lanka/, https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sports/test-twenty-crickets-new-format-to-debut-in-sri-lanka-in-november/, https://www.moneycontrol.com/sports/cricket/cricket-s-newest-format-to-start-on-14-november-in-sri-lanka-article-14053855.html and https://testtwenty.com/, kindly email us at info@eLanka.com.au if any information needs to be corrected.

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