Punjab is set to get its own IPL-style tournament, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday unveiling the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League, featuring six franchise teams and star Punjab cricketers, including Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh, Ramandeep Singh and Gurnoor Brar.The league will be played from August 30 to September 13 at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mohali, with more than 450 Punjab players set to enter the auction on August 9. The league will provide emerging talent with a major platform alongside established players.Speaking on the occasion, CM Mann said Punjab had always produced talented players for the country and that the government was continuously working to connect young people with sports and further strengthen the state in the sporting arena. He also highlighted sports as a principal weapon in the campaign against drugs.Sharing a few snippets featuring the players, Mann said, “It was a great pleasure to meet the players of the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup.”Calling the league “Punjab’s own IPL”, Mann said that the tournament would feature six franchise teams. Indian cricket team captain Shubman Gill will represent Fazilka Falcons, Arshdeep Singh will play for Ludhiana Lions, Abhishek Sharma for Amritsar Soormaaz, Prabhsimran Singh for Jalandhar Warriors, Ramandeep Singh for Mohali Kings and Gurnoor Brar for Bathinda Royals.The CM said, “Punjab is currently the backbone of the Indian cricket team, with 21 players from the state featuring in the IPL. All of them will now be among the major attractions of Punjab’s own league. All players participating in the Punjab Cricket League will be from Punjab.”Mann said, “For this purpose, a pool of more than 450 players from Punjab has been created, who will participate in the auction on August 9. The prominent names among these players include Anmolpreet Singh, Mayank Markande, Naman Dhir, Vihaan Malhotra, Imanjot Singh Chahal, Ashwani Kumar and Krish Bhagat.”He said the league would provide young players from Punjab with valuable experience of playing on a major platform. “Likewise, it will give them an opportunity to share the dressing room with established players, thereby giving them valuable experience. A comprehensive campaign has been launched to eradicate drugs from Punjab and sports are the principal weapon in this battle,” he said.The CM noted that the ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan’ sporting event was being successfully organised every year across the state.“Likewise, more than 3,100 sports grounds are being developed to promote sporting culture in the state. Punjab will host the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy for the first time in October-November, and now the state’s own cricket league is also set to begin,” he said.On the occasion, Punjab Cricket Association president Amarjit Mehta, secretary Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and vice-president Deepak Bali presented a T-shirt bearing the league’s logo to Mann as a token of honour.Indian cricketers Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh and Ramandeep Singh also presented a cricket bat and ball to Mann as a mark of respect.