# Unique Cricket Tournament in Sri Lanka to Feature Men and Women Playing on the Same Team

> A novel mixed cricket tournament is scheduled to take place in Colombo from November 14 to 29, featuring boys and girls playing together in the same team. This 80-over format will combine the performances of both genders to decide the match.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-10-18 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/shrilnka-men-hone-ja-raha-hai-anutha-mukabala-kriketa-ke-maidana-para-eka-satha-utarenge-mahila-aura-purusha-khilari-49246 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** mixed cricket, Colombo sports, Test Twenty, cricket news, youth tournament

Cricket is set to witness a historic shift as male and female players will compete together within the exact same squad rather than in separate fixtures. Scheduled to run from November 14 to 29 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, this innovative competition introduces a novel 80-over format designed to bring together young talent from across the globe.

The venue for this groundbreaking event will be the Sinhalese Sports Club, hosting a total of 160 young cricketers aged between 13 and 21 years. Selected from various corners of the world, these participants will be distributed evenly across four continental teams. Every single squad will consist of 20 girls and 20 boys playing side by side.

A core element of this competition is the parity rule, which ensures that the runs contributed by both male and female participants combine to form the final team score, meaning the collective effort dictates the ultimate outcome. According to tournament founder Gaurav Bahirwani, this equality extends beyond the boundaries of the field into the broadcasting arrangements, where both genders will receive equal screen time.

The structure of the matches is equally demanding, with every fixture designed to wrap up within a single day. The opening 40 overs will be contested during daylight hours using a traditional red ball and white attire. Following that, the final 40 overs will take place under the stadium lights using a white ball while players wear colored clothing. The runs accumulated across both phases will add up, and each side will get two opportunities to bat.

To guide this ambitious project, a high-profile advisory board has been established featuring legends such as AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden, and Sir Clive Lloyd. Meanwhile, Delhi-based cricket coach Rajkumar Sharma will head the global selection committee, and Mike Fordham will oversee the operational management of the event.

## What this means for you
This unprecedented tournament could serve as a significant milestone in promoting gender equality within professional sporting disciplines.

- **Globally:** The success of this format could inspire similar mixed-gender sports competitions and leagues across various other nations.
- **For Players:** Young and emerging participants will gain invaluable exposure and guidance from legendary figures on an international platform.

## Why this happened
The introduction of this novel and mixed format in cricket stems from a desire to expand the boundaries of the sport and actively champion gender equality. Administrators sought to break away from conventional formats to create a more engaging spectacle for modern audiences.

- **Need for Innovation:** To sustain viewer interest in contemporary sports culture, organizers devised a unique 80-over structure combining both red and white ball phases in a single day.
- **Message of Equality:** The primary vision was to demonstrate that male and female cricketers can compete as a unified unit while receiving identical broadcast attention.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Where is this tournament being held?
The tournament is being hosted at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

### 2. When is the tournament scheduled to take place?
The competition will run from November 14 to 29.

### 3. How many players are in each team?
Each team consists of 40 players in total, comprising 20 boys and 20 girls.

### 4. Who are the members of the advisory board?
The advisory board includes legends such as AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden, and Sir Clive Lloyd.

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