The Bengal Premier League is set to begin in the second week of June. This is the first time a corporate cricket is getting held in Bengal cricket. The tournament will be organized by the Cricket Association of Bengal.
State Cricket Governing Body president Snehashis Ganguly said the Bengal Premier League is being launched with the idea of ââdiscovering new talent and nurturing them. The tournament will start fifteen days after the end of the IPL as per the rules of the Cricket Board.
Many of the franchises that are in the IPL will be seen in the Bengal Premier League, Snehashis Ganguly said. According to some sources, Shahrukh Khan owned Kolkata Knight Riders, and Sanjeev Goenka's Lucknow Super Giants might appear in the league or may want to own teams in the new T20 tournament.
The Knight Riders are collaborating with the CAB in the Mayor's Cup Inter-School Cricket tournament, also known as the Junior Knights Championship. So, this doesn't come as surprise that the SRK-owned franchise are also keen to take part in the Bengal Premier League. DTDC, Bandhan Bank, Bengal Ambuja, Shrachi Group and Rashmi Cement Limited are also interested in participating in the tournament.
The Bengal Premier League is not only for men but also for women. Eight men's teams and Six women's teams will participate in the league. The women's matches will be played on the second campus of Jadavpur University while the Men's matches will be played at the Eden Gardens.
Only players from Bengal can participate in this league and some iconic cricketers will be selected in the future. After the renovation of the Eden Gardens, the number of visitors will increase and the renovation is for that purpose. Snehashis Ganguly said, "A block of Eden is in poor condition. Reforms are urgently needed. The situation will be understood when the report comes forward."
The 2024 ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup is also set to start from 1st June, so it will be interesting to see what happens next with the selections. With the participation of IPL franchises, the Bengal Premier League will surely attract attention and interest from cricket enthusiasts across the country.
Most successful teams in T20 leagues around the world
Discover the most successful teams in T20 leagues around the world, including winners from IPL, Big Bash, CPL and more. From IPL's CSK to SA20's SEC, find out who leads the chart.
T20 cricket is defined by explosive performances and relentless competition. Beyond the thrill of individual matches, the true quality of a team lies in its ability to consistently dominate the game.
Check out the most successful teams in T20 leagues around the world and their unmatched legacy in tournaments like Indian Premier League, Big Bash League, Carribbean Premier League, and more.
From the subcontinent to Australia and the Carribbean, here's the teams with highest achievements in the shortest format of cricket.
Chennai Super Kings (5 Titles) | IPL
CSK lifting their 5th IPL title in 2023. Image | Instagram
Chennai Super Kings stand as one of the most successful franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL), having 5 titles to their name. Under the brilliant leadership of MS Dhoni, this team has reached the playoffs 10 times out of their 16 seasons played in the tournament.
CSK is known for adapting well in different conditions, calmness under pressure, strategic use of spin bowlers, and the deep batting line-up that balances the team.
Mumbai Indians winning their first IPL title in 2013. Image | IPLT20
Sharing the top spot with 5 titles, Mumbai Indians, is another big successful team of IPL. Their journey began under the leadership of legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting, with Rohit Sharma leading the team to five victories in the end.
The MI franchise identifies and nurtures raw talent, transforming them into match-winners. Their success credits intelligent auction buys, strong core of retained players, and good support staffs.
They won the 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020 IPL seasons.
Perth Scorchers (5 Titles) | BBL
Perth Scorchers celebrating their win in Big Bash League. Image | BBC
In the Australian Big Bash League (BBL), Perth Scorchers are the undisputed champions, also with 5 titles. They are known for their consistent home dominance, making Optus Stadium in Perth a fortress, where opponents rarely win.
Players like Adam Voges, Ashton Turner, and Andrew Tye have been central figures in their success. The franchise focus on picking players who perfectly fit in their style and thrive in Australian conditions.
They won 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2021-22, and 2022-23 BBL seasons.
Jaffna Kings celebrating their LPL win in 2021. Image | cricketnmore
Jaffna Kings have quickly become the top team in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), winning 4 titles in a short time. Their former captain Thisara Perera and Shoaib Malik have been vital to their winning streak.
They won the inaugural season of the tournament in 2020, and moved forward with three-in-a-row wins (2021, 2022). They also won the title in 2024 season.
They form the squad with an equal balance of smart bowling and power-hitting with Sri Lankan players and impactful international stars.
Trinbago Knight Riders (4 Titles) | CPL
Trinbago Knight Riders celebrating their victory in CPL 2020. Image | ESPNcricinfo
Trinbago Knight Riders are the most successful successful team in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), with 4 titles. The franchise is owned by the Knight Riders group, which also owns the KKR team in IPL.
Legendary players like Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine have been cornerstones of their success. Their consistently attracting and keeping strong players, along with their dominant approach for the game, makes them a truly formidable side.
The won the 2015, 2016, 2020, and 2024 CPL seasons.
Comilla Victorians celebrating their fourth BPL win in 2023. Image | ESPNcricinfo
In the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL),Comilla Victorians have become the leading team with 4 titles. They have wonevery final they played in, showing incredible success rate.
Key players like Tamim Iqbal and the exceptional captain Imrul Kayes have played major roles in their historic journey.
They won the title in 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023 BPL seasons.
Islamabad United (3 Titles) | PSL
Islamabad United celebrating their 3rd PSL victory in 2024. Image | PSL
Islamabad United stands out in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), not just for their 3 titles, but also for winning the inaugural final. Their early double titles have strengthened their presence in the tournament.
Legendary players include their former captain Misbah-ul-Haq, and more recently, the all-rounder captain Shadab Khan have notable contributions in their PSL journey.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape lifting the SA20 cup in 2023. Image | Instagram
Sunrisers Eastern Cape are the only team to have won the SA20 title 2 times. They also hold the record for most wins in a single season of the tournament (9 wins in 2024).
Owned by the Indian SUN group, which also owns SRH team in IPL, have strategically picked players who turned out to be match-winners. Outstanding bowling performances from Marco Jansen and Ottneil Baartman played a key role in their memorable victories, along with good captaincy of Aiden Markram.
Outstation Players in Bengal Pro T20 League: Why It’s Unethical & Illegal
In the latest episode of "Cricket Talks Without Fancy Edits", uncover the controversy surrounding the Bengal Pro T20 League! In this video, we dive into why including outstation players as Bengal players is both unethical and illegal.
The Bengal Pro T20 League, a premier domestic cricket competition in West Bengal, is meant to be a stage for local talent to shine. Launched to nurture and showcase Bengal’s cricketers, the league has been a source of pride for the state’s cricket fans.
However, the recently concluded Season 2 draft has sparked a firestorm of controversy. Reports have surfaced that outstation players—those not originally from West Bengal—are being registered as Bengal players, allegedly through falsified documentation.
This practice has raised serious ethical and legal questions, with fans and critics alike accusing the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and franchise teams of undermining the spirit of the league. Today, we dive into why this is not just unfair but potentially illegal, and what it means for the future of Bengal cricket.
India U19 squad for England tour: Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ayush Mhatre and Bengal's Yudhajit Guha in the squad
IPL stars Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mahtre have been named in the India U19 squad for the upcoming England tour, along with Bengal pacer Yudhajit Guha. Mahtre has been named the captain of the side.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the India U19 (men's) squad for the upcoming England tour, scheduled from June 24 to July 23, 2025.
This tour will have a 50-over warm-up match, followed by a five-match Youth One-Day series andtwo Multi-Day matches against England U19.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has already made his name as the youngest ever centurion in IPL history at just 14 years of age, has been picked for the tour. Another IPL star, Ayush Mahtre, who has impressed with his striking abilities for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025, has been made the captain of the squad.
Abhigyan Kundu will be Mahtre's deputy for the whole tour.
Bengal pacer Yudhajit Guha has been named in the squad as well. Guha had earlier featured for the India U19 team in the U-19 Asia Cup as well.
Outsiders loved, Bengal talents ignored in Bengal Pro T20 League 2025
In the recently concluded Bengal Pro T20 League 2025 drafting, it was seen how players who are from other states were taken in franchise teams, depriving homegrown Bengal talents. Sportz Point explains the situation with examples and proof.
In recent years and decades, Bengal cricket has frequently witnessed the emergence of players from outside the region, who quickly become integral to Bengal's cricket scene. This trend was evident during the recently concluded draft for the Men's Bengal Pro T20 League 2025.
It is important to clarify that we are not referring to outstation players, like Rohan Gavaskar and Arun Lal, who came to Bengal from other states and made it their home for cricket.
Instead, we are talking about cricketers from outside West Bengal who are arriving here and illegally obtaining Aadhaar cards and other documents with false addresses.
Fake addresses, corruption and outsiders in Bengal cricket
These players are rapidly rising through the ranks, some based on merit while others without any noteworthy performances, and they are moving on to represent the state at various levels. Furthermore, those who are advancing are bringing more players from their home states to Bengal and creating paths for them.
This situation points to a larger conspiracy involving club officials who are allegedly accepting bribes. Some of these officials are supposedly encouraging players to participate without payment in exchange for assisting them in gaining entry into Bengal under-age teams or even the Bengal Pro T20 League squads.
It's worth noting that platforms like the Bengal Pro T20 League provide players with exposure to IPL scouts and teams, which can significantly boost their careers. Players like Sai Sudharasan, Priyansh Arya, Digvesh Rathi, Vipraj Nigam, and Ashwani Kumar have all emerged from their respective state T20 leagues.
Consequently, these outstation players have come to believe that if they cannot succeed in their own state, they can come to Bengal, create illegal documents, collaborate with certain club officials, and gain access to platforms like the Bengal Pro T20 League.
This situation is depriving talented young cricketers from Bengal, who have been performing well at the club level, of opportunities.
In a recent video, presented in Bengali, Sportz Point addressed these issues, which was well received within the Bengal cricket community. We have translated this information into English to ensure the message reaches a wider audience across the nation.
Siddharth Patidar - supposed to play in both MPT20 League and Bengal Pro T20 League
One such instance is Siddharth Patidar, a player from Madhya Pradesh who has represented MP in the past and participated in the MP T20 League since 2022. He is now claimed to be a local player in Bengal.
Patidar is currently a member of the Jabalpur Royal Lions and will be playing under Saransh Jain in the tournament.
This Instagram post clearly suggest that Patidar will be playing in MP T20 League
How can a player local to the MP T20 League also be considered a local player in West Bengal? This suggests he was provided with illegal documentation to verify his status as a Bengal domestic player.
The MP T20 League is set to commence on June 12, and it will be interesting to see how Patidar competes in two different state leagues, claiming residency in both Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
Sandeep Tomar - played in UP T20 League, but has documents of West Bengal
Another player, Sandeep Tomar, known to be from Uttar Pradesh, also appears to possess Bengal documents in his name. Sandeep has previously participated in the UP T20 League as a local player, and last season, he played in the Bengal Pro T20 League as a local player.
This Instagram post by UP T20 League clearly shows Sandeep Tomar in action in that tournament in 2023.
This raises the implication that Sandeep, too, has illegally registered as a Bengal player with the Cricket Association of Bengal.
Not only these two players, but reports indicate that multiple athletes are arriving from various states and illegitimately registering as Bengal players with forged documents. Clearly, such actions cannot occur without the support of officials.
C.A.B.'s efforts to stop this
Recently, the Cricket Association of Bengal announced that from the next season, all players will be required to submit bank documents that are more than three years old, along with their parents' documents, before registering. However, the pressing question remains: If they can not even stop a daylight robbery, will they be able to stop outstation players' entry? Only time will tell.
As a result, many deserving players from Bengal, who have been topping charts in runs, wickets, and trophy wins, have been deprived of the opportunities they rightfully deserve.
Numerous players expressed feelings of frustration, sadness, and hopelessness after the events that unfolded during the draft for the Men's Bengal Pro T20 League.
Bengal Pro T20 League 2025: 8 franchises choose squads among 802 players; here are the full squads
The Bengal Pro T20 League Season 2 kicked off its preparations with a grand men’s draft ceremony on Monday, where a staggering 802 cricketers were selected by eight franchises at a city hotel on Monday.
The Bengal Pro T20 League Season 2 kicked off its preparations with a grand men’s draft ceremony on Monday, where a staggering 802 cricketers were selected by eight franchises at a city hotel on Monday.
8 franchises, led by their retained players and coaches along with their owners, selected their squads for the upcoming season.
CAB Office bearers led by President Snehasish Ganguly, Vice President Amalendu Biswas, Secretary Naresh Ojha, Treasurer Prabir Chakrabarty, Joint Secretary Debabrata Das along with India cricket legend Sourav Ganguly, women’s cricket icon Jhulan Goswami were present for the draft.
"I hope you will all witness an exciting draft process in the next few hours. I am sure we will have an even more successful Bengal Pro T20 League season this time," Sourav Ganguly said during the event.
A+ category players will get INR 4,75,000, A grade players will get INR 3,75,000, while B and C category players will receive INR 1,50,000. D category players will get INR 1,50,000.
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