TEST TWENTY, a new 80-over cricket format, has announced the Parity Rule, making it the first major cricket ecosystem built around mixed-gender participation. Under the structure, male and female athletes compete within the same franchise system, on the same points table, under the same badge and ownership, with the same championship outcome.
Unlike parallel women’s leagues such as the WPL, WBBL, The Hundred Women, and WCPL, which operate separately from the primary franchise architecture, Test Twenty has been built from the ground up with both genders integrated into a single structure.
Each Test Twenty franchise fields two squads—men’s and women’s—competing together for the same result, with no franchise able to win without both squads contributing. The format, played as four innings of 20 overs each in a single day, allows innings responsibilities to be distributed between the two squads while maintaining competitive integrity.
The Parity Rule acknowledges practical differences between men’s and women’s cricket—ball specifications, boundary dimensions, and physical load management—rather than forcing simultaneous on-field participation. Both genders operate as equal stakeholders within the same competitive ecosystem.
Test Twenty is built around three pillars: an 80-over format played as four strategic innings, positioned as cricket’s fourth format after Test, ODI, and T20; a unified global platform for players aged 13 to 19; and the Junior Test Twenty Championship, bringing together young cricketers from traditional and emerging cricket nations. A global scouting network will work year-round to identify and develop talent across underserved cricket communities.
The parent company behind Test Twenty was named Parity Sports from the outset, reflecting the long-held ambition of evolving cricket beyond gender separation. Under the model, young players entering the ecosystem will train within the same franchise culture, represent the same regions, and work toward the same collective goal. Beyond the annual Junior Test Twenty Championship, the ecosystem operates year-round through scouting, talent development, and regional engagement, offering broadcasters, franchise owners, and brand partners continuous access to both men’s and women’s audiences on a single platform
