North East Twenty20 league on the cards

The Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA) has planned a Twenty20 cricket tournament, comprising teams from all the BCCI-affiliated states in north eastern India. Shillong will host the tournament scheduled for January 19-23. Besides Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, are expected to feature in the tournament, which will carry a prize money of Rs 3 lakh.

The MCA is also trying to get a few former international cricketers to represent the different teams, said Naba Bhattacharjee, the association's secretary.

The move will not only prove to be a shot in the arm for cricket in the region but also provide teams like Assam and Tripura with a good "dress rehearsal" ahead of the BCCI East Zone Twenty20 tournament to be held in Guwahati in March. Both are representing the North East this year in the Ranji Trophy and are currently placed at fourth and fifth respectively, among the six teams in Group B of the Plate League.

The Indian board, in September, had granted Affiliate Memberships to the Meghalaya Cricket Association, Nagaland Cricket Association, and Arunachal Cricket Association while Chhattisgarh State Cricket Association and Bihar Cricket Association were given Associate Membership.