Dubai: Imagine a cricket match where boys and girls represent the same team, play separate innings, but their combined runs decide the winner.
Sounds interesting? That is exactly what a new cricket competition called Test Twenty is promising when it makes its debut in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from November 14 to 29, 2026.
The tournament will feature 160 young cricketers aged between 13 and 21, divided into four continental teams. Each team will have a squad of 20 boys and 20 girls.
The organisers are calling it cricket's fourth format, bringing together elements of Test cricket and T20 cricket.
How will the new format work?
Here is where things get interesting.
Boys will play against boys and girls against girls, but both will contribute towards the same team total.
For example, imagine Team A's girls score 150 runs while Team B's girls manage 130.
Team A now have a 20 run advantage.
But if Team B's boys score 190 and Team A's boys manage only 160, Team B will win because their combined total is higher.
In simple terms, both the boys and girls must perform well for their team to win.
Each contest will feature 80 overs, with 40 overs played during the day using a red ball and traditional white clothing.
The remaining 40 overs will take place under floodlights, with players switching to a white ball and coloured jerseys.
The toss will also determine whether the boys or girls play first.
Cricket legends involved
The competition has some big names supporting it.
Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers, Australia's Matthew Hayden and West Indies legend Clive Lloyd are part of the advisory board.
Interestingly, Rajkumar Sharma, best known as Virat Kohli's childhood coach, will chair the Global Selection Committee.
The inaugural tournament will take place at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, with the final scheduled for November 29.
All matches are expected to be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network
It remains to be seen whether this experimental format can establish itself alongside traditional cricket.
But the idea of boys and girls playing for the same team, sharing one scoreboard and celebrating the same victory certainly makes it an interesting development for the sport.