Currently, T20 cricket league gains huge fans as it’s one of the famous forms of cricket. Rest of the cricket forms, such as One Day International (ODI) and Test cricket is comparatively less popular. If we consider the ODI and Test cricket, we’ll see that both of the formats go one whole day and another one takes about five days. This is why; the audiences lose their patients to stay in the stadium or even in front of the TV set for a long time. As a result, T20 cricket league and matches are getting more popularity day by day because of their short duration. So, most of the T20 cricket matches start either afternoon or in the evening and they come to an end before midnight. A T20 cricket match takes about four hours for two innings.
On the other hand, if we talk about the T20 cricket league, we get so many names on our eyes. But, the most famous leagues are Indian Premier League (IPL), Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) and England’s NatWest T20 Blast. Moreover, Caribbean Premier League, Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), South Africa’s Ram Slam T20 League is also most popular T20 leagues. In this post, we’ll talk about these famous T20 leagues. But, before we proceed, we’ll know some important things about cricket.
What are T20 Cricket and T20 Cricket League?
As a new style of game has taken in the cricketing world and that’s T20 cricket league and the T20 cricket match itself. It’s an enhancement of the one day game to make the game fast, furious and instant with a whole new ball game. The game is full of action, which is very appealing to the younger crowd. The perfectionist of a game is not as it said. But, when it brings huge crowds to enjoy cricket, it’s to be good for the game on the whole.
Besides, the T20 cricket league consists of some teams who play some specific matches on one time a year. But, the game continues to play as according to the normal one-day rules where some exceptions are. In case you forget or don’t, the first international T20 match was played in Australia where “Australia A” performed against Pakistan on January 13th, 2005 at the Adelaide Oval.
Some Special 20-Twenty Cricket Rules
Let’s know about some special rules of the T20 cricket. The rules are common for T20 cricket league or T20 match, which are being modified over time. Some of the rules are as follow:
- Every team gets ’20 overs’ per side were one over consists of 6 balls.
- One bowler can bowl maximum four over in a match.
- There are fielding restrictions in the first six overs that’s known as ‘Power Play’ as well where two fielders outside the circle with a minimum of two stationary fielders.
- As the fielding restrictions for overs 7-20 and maximum five fielders allowed outside of the circle.
- If a ‘no-ball’ occurs, it’s worth 2 runs, besides the batsman gets a chance of free hit as well.
- Every team gets just 80 minutes to complete their 20 overs where 15 minutes are between innings as a break.
- If overs are not bowled in the allocated time, there are run penalties for each over.
- After the fall of a wicket, the next batsman gets 90 seconds to get into the crease.
Top 7 Most Famous T20 Cricket Leagues in the World
Now, let’s know about top 7 most famous T20 cricket league in the world.
1. Indian Premier League
The biggest T20 cricket league is the Indian Premier League (IPL) in terms of its viewers and it has completed ten seasons. Currently, the 11th season is running. But, in the previous seasons, we have seen several format changes over the years. Here, several franchises have had short lives, such as Gujarat Lions and Pune Supergiant who played the last two seasons. But, they are not playing for the 2018 version. Besides, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings have been returned from their suspension. Most of the Test-playing countries players are playing in IPL, such as Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand etc.
There is no doubt that Indian Premier League is leading in the T20 cricket league. And, it’s more entertaining, more commercialized and more cricketer brand value. Currently, the Brand value of IPL is estimated about the US $4.16 billion. Now, the 11th season of IPL running is on as titling the VIVO Indian Premier League.
2. Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL)
Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) was introduced by Cricket Australia in 2011 to replace the Twenty20 Big Bash that was a tournament between six state-based teams. Now, the BBL is played by 8 city-based franchises where each team plays the other at least once in the league stage. And until now, every team played every other team twice. It was changed in the 2017-18 editions when every team will play two more matches. Besides, the teams are allowed two overseas players in their squad. Moreover, the tournament usually attracts top players from West Indies and England.
But, BBL was in the news when a fiery confrontation between Marlon Samuels and Shane Warne. Despite this, the tournament still attracts the world’s best. These include Pollard, Johan Botha, and Chris Gayle have participated in the league, drawing in more crowds.
England’s Natwest T20 Blast League
Since it first hosted one, in 2003, The ECB has tinkered with its domestic T20 tournament several times. But, the NatWest T20 Blast’s latest version has the 18 county sides that are divided into two groups. Every team plays six of the teams in their group twice and the other two once where every team is allowed to field two international players in their XI. From all teams, the top four teams in every team enter the knockout stages. But, the ECB plans to commence a new city-based T 20 cricket league in 2020.
Definitely, the Natwest T20 Blast League is one of the most entertaining and popular T20 cricket leagues. But, it’s not as much popular as Vivo IPL and KFC BBL to some extent; it still attracts crowd many ways. Besides, the NatWest T20 Blast League is producing and grooming young talent, particularly in a country where people love and follow football massively.
Caribbean Premier League (CPL)
The CPL is of the Caribbean Premier League, which is an annual T20 cricket league held in the Caribbean islands. It was the replacement of the Caribbean Twenty 20 and started since 2013 as the premier Twenty 20 competition. It’s the only T20 cricket league in the Caribbean where it gets the good response from both the players and the crowd. Because even the Hollywood seems to be interested in that with celebrities such as Mark Wahlberg and he has been seen in this league supporting West Indian cricket. This is because it gets 4th rank due to popularity and entertainment in CPL T20 while playing 6 teams in total.
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL)
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) was commenced by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in 2012 where seven city-based teams competed against each other. Its first edition was held in February but the second was played a year later. As the accusations of match-fixing lead, the tournament suspends for two years and before it returns in 2015-16 with a new set of franchises. Seven teams were part of the most recent one while six teams participated in the 2015-16 season when the Sylhet franchise being suspended. But, Sylhet returns for the 2017-18 season when it has the new owners.
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Pakistan Super League (PSL) is only two seasons old, which is run by the Pakistan Cricket Board. Now, it’s consisted of 6 teams but it was five in the previous two seasons. The objectives of the league are to take top-level cricket back to Pakistan. As a result, the final of the 2017 and 2018 tournament was held in Lahore. For every team, eight foreign players are allowed in their squads and to field four in their XI. As far as this, PSL teams have managed to buy best players from the West Indies, South Africa, New Zealand, England, and Sri Lanka.
South Africa’s Ram Slam T20 League
It’s South African T20 cricket league, which is known as the Ram Slam T20 Challenges. But, it previously was known as the Standard Bank Pro20 Series and MiWay T20 Challenge and first contested in the 2003–04 season.
In South Africa Ram Slam T20 Challenge, 6 teams play while it has been there for quite a time now. Some of the many things from Ram Slam T20 league are at the beautiful picturesque stadiums, large crowd, sky-high sixes and broken stumps etc.
Besides, there are some other popular T20 cricket leagues in the world. These include Sri Lanka Premier League, Nepal Premier League, Friends Life T20, and Masters Champions League of the UAE etc.
