(Web Desk) - After Test, ODI, T20, and T10 formats, a new cricket format called Test20 has been introduced.
The first two editions will be held in India, with the inaugural tournament scheduled to begin in January 2026.
The format was launched at a recent event by the organizers alongside former cricket stars Matthew Hayden, Harbhajan Singh, Sir Clive Lloyd, and AB de Villiers.
So, what is this new edition?
Each Test20 match will consist of 80 overs in total, with each team playing two innings of 20 overs each. The combined scores from both innings will determine the result — win, loss, tie, or draw — all outcomes will be possible.
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) October 16, 2025
“Each team bats twice, just like in a Test match, reviving the art of building a game while keeping play concise, dynamic, and broadcast-friendly. The rules of both Test and T20 cricket apply, with a few refined adjustments to suit the new format. Matches can conclude in a win, loss, tie, or draw,” the press release of the tournament stated.
Building Cricketing Ecosystem
Alongside the new format, the organisation behind it (The Fourth Format) are also planning to infuse more technology into the sport – an AI-driven scouting system, a motion sensor in bat/ball to help youngsters grasp the sport.
Gaurav Bahirvani, CEO of The Fourth Format and Executive Chairman of the One One Six Network, revealed that the idea behind the project is to discover and train next-generation cricketers in a bid to create a new cricketing ecosystem, and not just a tournament.
"What NCAA has done for basketball in the U.S, we are creating the NCAA-equivalent for global cricket,” Bahirvani remarked. “We’re constructing a connected talent ecosystem - a global feeder line - that gives every young player regardless of gender, background, or geography, an equal path to recognition and growth.
This innovative format blends the rules of Test cricket and T20 cricket.
It has been specifically designed to attract and engage young audiences aged between 13 and 19.