The World’s Biggest Cricket Leagues
It can easily be said that cricket has always occupied one of the most prominent sports roles in the world, as it is being cherished by millions and millions of fans globally. From the massive runs scored by the players and chronic victory come various strategic decisions, historic moments, and tense cricket matches. The growth of cricket is the reason that there are a lot of leagues on the planet that provide players with the platform to showcase their cricket talent and victory in front of a large crowd.
As a result, various leagues have emerged, and the fans are always looking for the upcoming cricket leagues as soon as any one of them comes to an end. These leagues have also allowed emerging talents to showcase their strength while playing with or against seasoned players. In the upcoming discussion, we will be looking at the biggest cricket leagues, which have been popular among cricket fans and players.
Top 5 Biggest Cricket Leagues
Cricket is popular all over the world. Still, its popularity varies across continents, allowing the world to witness the top five biggest cricket leagues, which entertain the fans and also bring opportunities for new and seasoned players. In these best leagues in the world, the franchises have the opportunity to bring down the best players (both seasoned and emerging) to play together as a team and compete for the cricket league title. Some of these leagues have been contributing to the sport for a long time, while a few of them have generated a lot of audience among the fans within a short time. Also, these leagues bring opportunities for cricket fans to bet on their favourite teams using the cricket betting apps. Here is the list of the top five biggest cricket leagues all over the world:
CPL (Caribbean Premier League)
The Caribbean Premier League, or CPL, is the fifth most popular cricket league on the list of the top cricket leagues in the world. This tournament is held every year and administered by the West Indies Cricket Board, which shows that the tournament takes place in the West Indies. The Republic Bank CPL is currently sponsoring the Caribbean Premier League. The first season of the Caribbean Premier League was played in the year 2013 when Jamaica Tallawahs defeated Guyana Amazon Warriors to become the champions of the inaugural season. There are a total of six teams that compete against each other every year in the Caribbean Premier League. The most successful team in this tournament is the Trinbago Knight Riders, who have already won the Caribbean Premier League four times. Trinbago Knight Riders won the tournament in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2020, respectively, to become the most successful team in this tournament.
T20 Blast
The T20 Blast, which is popularly known as the Vitality Blast, is another popular cricket tournament where the English and Welsh First-class countries compete against each other. The England and Wales Cricket Board administers this tournament and is also among the oldest cricket leagues in the world. There are a total of 18 teams that compete against each other in the Vitality Blast. The first edition of the Vitality Blast was played in the year 2003, where Surrey Lions defeated Warwickshire Bears in the finals by 9 wickets to become the inaugural champions.
From 2003 to 2009, this tournament was known as the Twenty20 Cup, which was changed to Friends Life T20 from 2010 to 2013. In 2014, NatWest became the tournament sponsor, changing the tournament name to NatWest T20 Blast. Later in the year 2020, Vitality became the tournament sponsor, naming it Vitality Blast. Leicestershire Foxes and Hampshire Hawks are the most successful teams in this tournament, with each team having won three titles.
PSL (Pakistan Super League)
The Pakistan Super League holds the third spot in the list of most popular cricket tournaments. This tournament is played in Pakistan and is administered by the Pakistan Cricket Board. There are a total of six teams that compete against each other in the PSL every year to become the champions. The Pakistan Cricket Board made the PSL official in September 2015, but the first season was played in 2016. Islamabad United won the inaugural PSL season by defeating Quetta Gladiators in the finals by 6 wickets, where the finals were played in the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars are the most successful PSL teams, with each team having won two PSL titles. With the beginning of every new, players always look forward to PSL in the upcoming cricket leagues.
BBL (Big Bash League)
The Big Bash League, or BBL, is among the top two most popular cricket leagues in the world, as the Australian men’s teams compete against each other in this T20 cricket league. This tournament is administered by Cricket Australia and is held every year in December, January, and February. There are a total of eight teams that compete against each other in the Big Bash League every year, out of which six teams have won the BBL title at least once.
The first season of the Big Bash League was hosted in the year 2011-12, where Sydney Sixers defeated Perth Scorchers in the tournament finals by 7 wickets, allowing them to win the inaugural Big Bash League title. Perth Scorchers is the most successful team in the history of the Big Bash League, as they have won the Big Bash League five times. Perth Scorchers won the BBL in the years 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2021-22, and 2022-23.
IPL (Indian Premier League)
The Indian Premier League is one of the top cricket leagues in the world due to a number of reasons. This tournament takes place every year between March and May, where ten teams compete against each other for the coveted IPL trophy. Fans are also excited for the IPL 2024 season, as the current IPL season will conclude just a week before the T20 World Cup. This tournament is administered by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The first IPL season was played in the year 2008, when Rajasthan Royals defeated Chennai Super Kings in the finals by 3 wickets, allowing them to win the inaugural IPL season. Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians are the most successful teams in the Indian Premier League, with each team having won the IPL title five times. Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, and Royal Challengers Bangalore have not won any IPL season till now.
Source: https://sportscafe.in/cricket/online-cricket-betting-apps