Masters Pro T20 launches four-innings format to reshape Legends cricket
Synopsis
The Masters Pro T20 has thrown a fresh idea into the Legends cricket space: two innings of 10 overs each, a Super Sub rule that kicks in at the halfway mark, and a pitch to franchise investors for 'long-term return potential.' Whether format innovation alone can cut through a crowded nostalgia-cricket market is the real question Fanwizz now has to answer.
Key Takeaways
Masters Pro T20 was officially launched on 19 October 2026 in New Delhi by Fanwizz Private Limited .
The league features a four-innings format — both teams bat two innings of 10 overs each ; the higher aggregate score wins.
A Super Sub rule allows teams to replace one player after both sides complete their first innings.
Founding Partner Avishek Mazumdar and co-founder Salman Khan both cited a commercially sustainable, fan-first model as the league's core proposition.
Fixture list, franchises, and broadcast details are yet to be announced.
The Masters Pro T20, a new Legends cricket league featuring a unique four-innings format, was officially launched on Monday, 19 October 2026, in New Delhi, with organisers billing it as a reinvention of the established Legends cricket experience. The league is the flagship property of Fanwizz Private Limited, a sports venture focused on building distinctive, commercially sustainable sporting properties.
How the Four-Innings Format Works
Unlike conventional T20 competitions, the Masters Pro T20 draws structural inspiration from Test cricket. Both teams will bat in two separate innings of 10 overs each, mirroring the two-innings framework of the longer format. The team with the greater aggregate score across both innings is declared the winner.
A notable tactical addition is the Super Sub rule, which allows each team to replace one player from their original playing XI — but only after both sides have completed their first innings. This mechanism opens a second window of strategic decision-making around batting, bowling, and squad composition.
What the Organisers Said
Avishek Mazumdar, Founding Partner of Fanwizz Private Limited, described the venture's commercial ambition. 'Fanwizz aims to build distinctive sporting properties that create sustainable, long-term value for all stakeholders, particularly franchise owners and fans,' he said. 'With Masters Pro T20, we seek to combine innovation and a premium sporting experience with a robust commercial model that delivers meaningful engagement and long-term return potential for franchises, sponsors and partners, while aspiring to establish a leading position in legends cricket,' Mazumdar added.
Salman Khan, co-founder of Fanwizz Pvt Ltd, emphasised the audience-first philosophy. 'As a new venture, Fanwizz will approach the sports business with fresh thinking and a strong focus on the audience. With Masters Pro T20, we want to create more than a tournament; we want to build an engaging experience around legends cricket that fans, players and partners can connect with season after season,' he said.
Why It Stands Apart from Other Legends Leagues
The Legends cricket space has grown increasingly crowded in recent years, with multiple leagues worldwide trading on nostalgia and the star power of retired internationals. Organisers argue the Masters Pro T20 differentiates itself through format innovation rather than relying solely on familiar names. The two-innings structure, they contend, tests players more rigorously than a single T20 outing and offers spectators tactical storylines — including mid-game Super Sub decisions — that are absent from rival competitions.
Notably, the dual-innings model also gives teams a genuine recovery opportunity: a side that stumbles in the first innings retains a meaningful path to victory, adding competitive tension across a fuller arc of play.
What to Watch Next
Fanwizz has not yet disclosed a fixture list, franchise line-up, or broadcast details, meaning the commercial and competitive shape of the Masters Pro T20 will become clearer in the weeks ahead. How the league attracts franchise investment and secures media rights will be the key test of whether its format innovation translates into the 'long-term return potential' its founders have promised.
Point of View
Fanwizz is wagering that format novelty can generate the kind of sustained viewer engagement that one-off T20 nostalgia events have struggled to maintain. The Super Sub mechanism is a genuinely tactical wrinkle — but the harder problem is commercial: without disclosed franchises, broadcast partners, or a fixture calendar, the launch is essentially a concept note. The proof will come when investors and broadcasters decide whether 'long-term return potential' is rhetoric or a real differentiator in a crowded market.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Masters Pro T20?
The Masters Pro T20 is a new Legends cricket league launched by Fanwizz Private Limited on 19 October 2026. It features a four-innings format in which both teams bat two separate innings of 10 overs each, with the higher aggregate score determining the winner.
How does the four-innings format differ from a standard T20?
In a standard T20 each team bats once for up to 20 overs. The Masters Pro T20 splits each team's allocation into two innings of 10 overs, mirroring the two-innings structure of Test cricket and creating an additional mid-game tactical reset.
What is the Super Sub rule in Masters Pro T20?
The Super Sub rule allows each team to replace one player from their original playing XI, but only after both teams have completed their first innings. It is designed to give teams a fresh tactical option in the second half of the match.
Who is behind the Masters Pro T20?
The league is organised by Fanwizz Private Limited. Its Founding Partner is Avishek Mazumdar and its co-founder is Salman Khan, both of whom described it as a commercially sustainable, audience-first sporting property.
When will the Masters Pro T20 fixtures and teams be announced?
As of the launch announcement on 19 October 2026, Fanwizz has not yet disclosed a fixture schedule, franchise line-up, or broadcast partners. Further details are expected in the coming weeks.
