England's new Twenty20 tournament gets members' approval

LONDON - The plan to create a new city-based Twenty20 tournament for English cricket in 2020 has been approved after 38 of the 41 members of the England and Wales Cricket Board voted in favour of the competition.

The new tournament will follow a format similar to the Indian Premier League with eight as yet unnamed city-based teams playing televised games followed by playoffs to decide the two teams in the final.

"I passionately believe that the game has chosen the right path," ECB chairman Colin Graves said in a statement.

"Each of our members will benefit and, critically, so will the whole game.

"Our clear ambition is that this new competition will sit alongside the IPL and Big Bash League as one of the world's major cricket tournaments."

Kent is the only county that abstained from voting while Middlesex and Essex voted against the competition.