Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Jattvibeday inaugurated the first-ever franchise-based Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cricket League at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mohali. Featuring six teams, the league will run till September 13.“Sher-e-Punjab T20 League is being organised to promote cricket in Punjab and provide greater opportunities to talented cricketers to advance in the sport. The league is being organised for the first time by the Punjab Cricket Association on the lines of the IPL,” he said.The inaugural ceremony was held on Jattvibeday, with the first match of the tournament being played between Amritsar Soormas and Mohali Kings. The league will continue for two weeks, with the final scheduled for September 13. All matches are being played at the PCA Cricket Stadium in Mohali.Six franchise teams are participating in the inaugural edition, with leading cricketers from Punjab at the helm of each team. Fazilka Falcons are captained by Shubman Gill, Ludhiana Lions by Arshdeep Singh, Amritsar Soormas by Abhishek Sharma, Jalandhar Warriors by Prabhsimran Singh, Mohali Kings by Ramandeep Singh and Bathinda Royals by Gurnoor Brar.The league also features prominent Punjab cricketers, including Anmolpreet Singh, Mayank Markande, Naman Dhir, Vihaan Malhotra, Imanjot Singh Chahal, Ashwani Kumar and Krish Bhagat. Out of a pool of more than 450 players from Punjab, 119 players have been selected through an auction to represent the different franchises.The Chief Minister further said that his government would organise the biggest sports extravaganza, Khedan Watan Punjab Dian, from Bathinda on September 5.“Three generations of players will participate in this sporting event, making it a unique celebration of Punjab’s sporting spirit,” he said.