Mumbai: T20 Mumbai League’s men’s tournament comprising eight teams will be held after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League.
The tournament will also have the inaugural women’s league of three teams running concurrently.
The tournament, which has seen the rise of Indian T20 star such as Shivam Dube, returned after a hiatus last year for its third edition and was held right after the end of the IPL last year.
Former India skipper and Mumbai player Rohit Sharma, who is also the face of the league, said that the tournament is essential for the growth of the city’s players.
“I’m very happy with how Mumbai cricket is shaping up, not just in the IPL team, but also with what the T20 Mumbai League has done for many young cricketers,” Rohit said at an event here to announce the fourth edition for the men’s event and the first-ever edition for women’s.
“We saw so many cricketers who played in the T20 Mumbai now go on to play for IPL teams and the national team as well. It is a big platform. I’m happy that we are doing this again after a very successful last season.” The tournament was held in a very short window across two venues last year due to a delayed finish of the IPL as well as an advancing monsoon season.
Sayali Satghare, who made her Test debut for India Women’s on their recent tour of Australia, welcomed the launch of the women’s T20 Mumbai.
“The T20 Mumbai Women’s League will give many young girls the opportunity to dream bigger, compete at a high level and believe that they too can represent Mumbai and India one day,” she said.
Mumbai Cricket Association president Ajinkya Naik said the inaugural edition of the women’s league is an important milestone for the governing body.
“The T20 Mumbai League reflects that philosophy by providing talented cricketers from across the city a professional stage to showcase their abilities,” he said.
“The launch of the T20 Mumbai Women’s League is an important milestone for us. Women’s cricket is growing rapidly, and it is essential that we create strong platforms that allow talented players to compete, develop and progress to higher levels of the game.”
