Chandigarh, Feb 9: To reclaim Punjab’s sporting legacy and provide a constructive alternative to the youth, the Bhagwant Mann-led government on Monday officially approved the launch of the Punjab Cricket League (PCL). The initiative is designed as a strategic intervention to empower the state’s youth, positioning sports as a primary antidote to the drug crisis. By creating a professional platform modeled after the Indian Premier League (IPL), the state administration aims to transition sports from a token outreach activity into a systematic career pathway for aspiring athletes.
The Chief Minister, while chairing a high-level review meeting with senior officials of the Department of Sports and Youth Services in Chandigarh, mentioned that the league would be organized in close collaboration with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA). He noted that the primary objective of this institutional partnership is to create a robust framework for identifying and nurturing talent at the grassroots level.
“The state government will collaborate with the Punjab Cricket Association and the Board of Control for Cricket in India to organise the Punjab Cricket League for grooming the youth of the state,” Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said. He noted that the PCL would serve as a vital nursery for producing the next generation of cricketers who could represent India on both national and international stages.
The Chief Minister shared that the league’s structure would feature teams based on districts and distinct geographical regions, including Majha, Doaba, and Malwa. He mentioned that this regional approach would ensure that talent from every corner of the state has an equal opportunity to compete and excel. Drawing parallels to successful global models, he noted that legendary figures like Imran Khan and Arjuna Ranatunga had previously used similar initiatives to elevate the standard of cricket in their respective countries.
“The Punjab Cricket League will be organised on the lines of the Indian Premier League, and teams will be formed on the basis of districts and geographical regions such as Majha, Doaba and Malwa to compete in the tournament,” the Chief Minister directly said. He noted that such a format would not only foster healthy competition but also build a strong pipeline of players for major tournaments.
Beyond cricket, the state government is planning an aggressive expansion of sports culture by introducing district and state-level leagues for other popular disciplines. The Chief Minister mentioned that games such as Volleyball, Football, Hockey, Basketball, Kho-kho, and Kabaddi would also receive similar league-based platforms to ensure a holistic development of the state’s athletic ecosystem. He noted that the ultimate goal is to restore Punjab’s pristine glory in the field of sports and maximize the number of Punjabi players in the Indian international contingent.
“Today in Chandigarh, held a meeting with senior officials to discuss various issues, with a focused deliberation on promoting sports culture across the state,” the Chief Minister noted. He mentioned that all officials have been directed to contribute their maximum efforts toward encouraging the youth to return to the playgrounds, thereby building a healthy and fit society.
