Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Punjab Govt approves Punjab Cricket League to steer youth away from drugs
Babusbhahi Bureau
Chandigarh, February 9, 2026:In a decisive move to tackle Punjab’s drug menace by reviving its sporting legacy, the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government on Monday approved the launch of the Punjab Cricket League (PCL), positioning sports as a long-term strategy for youth empowerment and social reform.
The Punjab Cricket League will be organised on the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL), with teams formed on a district and regional basis, including Majha, Doaba and Malwa.
The state government will collaborate with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) to ensure professional planning, talent identification and grooming of young cricketers for national and international platforms.
Chairing a review meeting of the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that sports can serve as the strongest antidote to drug abuse by channelising youth energy towards discipline, fitness and achievement.
He said the league would not only revive cricket culture in Punjab but also create structured career pathways for aspiring players.
Sharing details of the meeting, the Chief Minister said that officials were directed to make maximum efforts to promote sports culture across the state and reconnect youth with playgrounds. He added that the government is consistently working to build a healthy and fit society by encouraging young people to take up sports.
Highlighting the broader vision, CM Mann said that along with the Punjab Cricket League, district- and state-level leagues in multiple sports including Volleyball, Football, Hockey, Basketball, Kho-Kho and Kabaddi would also be organised.
The objective, he said, is to create a strong pipeline of trained sportspersons and ensure greater representation of Punjabi players in national and international sporting events.
Drawing inspiration from global cricketing models, the Chief Minister said that similar initiatives in other countries have produced world-class players and expressed confidence that the Punjab Cricket League would help emerge Punjab as a nursery of cricketing talent.
Emphasising Punjab’s rich sporting heritage, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the state has immense talent and the government is fully committed to nurturing it.
He asserted that sports not only offer youth an opportunity to excel and bring laurels to the state but also play a critical role in restoring Punjab’s glory while keeping the younger generation away from drugs.