The fourth season of Premier Badminton League (PBL) promises to be a notch higher from the previous editions with the addition of Pune 7 Aces, making it in a 9-team affair.

The upcoming edition of the badminton league will feature an impressive total of 90 players from 17 nations, that includes eight Olympic medallists and eight players ranked in top 10 vying for the top honours and the coveted PBL trophy.

The 23-day extravaganza will be played across five venues, with Ahmedabad and Pune hosting matches for the first time.

The league will see nine teams — Delhi Dashers, Ahmedabad Smash Masters, Awadhe Warriors, Bengaluru Raptors, Mumbai Rockets, Hyderabad Hunters, Chennai Smashes, North Eastern Warriors and Pune 7 Aces — slugging it out for a prize purse of Rs 6 crore in five cities with the inaugural rounds being held in Mumbai, followed by Hyderabad Pune, Ahmedabad and semis and finals in Bengaluru.