Cricket leagues have essentially taken over world cricket due to the money, value, and entertainment it brings to the players and fans. Players get paid a handsome amount for playing in the shorter format. On the other hand, fans not only enjoy the entertainment but also can earn money by using their knowledge to predict the results on the best betting apps out there. However, with so many cricket leagues around the world, the question arises as to who sits on top. Let’s find out-

Here are the top five cricket leagues in the World:

5. The Hundred

The Hundred was ECB’s desperate attempt to compete with high-quality cricket leagues around the World. Although they have the oldest T20 League, the T20 Blast, the main issue with it is that it was too long and had many teams. ECB also wanted to generate interest in cricket in the country and wanted to bring in some new audiences. Hence, the English board came up with a completely new concept. The ECB streamlined the T20 format, reduced the number of teams, and condensed it into a three-hour package. 

Was the Hundred a success? Absolutely. In its inaugural year, 90% of available tickets got sold. The initial game of the women pulled in an audience of 1.6 million, a record for a women’s match in England. On the other hand, the men enjoyed similar success. The competition had the luxury of having top stars from around the globe including Smriti Mandhana, Danii Wyatt, David Warner, and Quinton de Kock make it a big-ticket tournament. Hence it is evident that the competition performed exceptionally well even during the Covid times. 

4. Caribbean Premier League (CPL)

The Caribbean players are considered as the stalwarts of the T20 format. They add spice, entertainment, and fun element to which. Furthermore, the West Indies team is the most successful T20 team in the world and they have two World Cups to prove it. Hence, it is only fair to include the Caribbean Premier League on the list. From Chadwick Walton’s revenge on Williams to Andre Russell’s power-packed century in an impossible run chase, CPL has given us many great moments.

The CPL, the flagship T20 league of the Caribbean, first arrived on the scene in 2013 with six teams and to date has the same number of teams. With a brand value of US $371 million in 2020, CPL is one of the most valued cricket leagues in the World. Other than that, Cpl has also given the cricketing fraternity exceptional talents like Nicolas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, and Brandon King.

3. Pakistan Super League (PSL)

The PSL, which is the flagship T20 event of Pakistan, has been running for six seasons. Starting in 2016, PSL didn’t have the luxury of hosting the league in their own country for the first five seasons. However, despite this hurdle, PCB has done a good job in keeping its flagship tournament alive. According to many experts, PSL has the best bowling talent when compared to other cricket leagues.

Standing at an estimated brand value of US $240 million, PSL has all of its domestic talents available for the tournament, a luxury that not every league has. However, one drawback which the league faces is of attracting foreign talent to play the league. Many talents are skeptical to travel to Pakistan due to either security concerns or the amount of money that is offered.

2. Big Bash League (BBL)

The Flagship T20 league stands as the second most famous league in the World. With a brand value of AUD 30 million and increased viewership to 41.17 million, the BBL is enjoying success on the commercial front. Cricket Australia was the first board to start the Women’s T20 League in the form of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). The league also produces some exceptional quality cricket and has entertained the cricket fans since 2011.

However, one major drawback that the league faces is the unavailability of Australian superstars like Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, and David Warner. The BBL clashes with the Australian Test summer which means none of these stars get to play. Also, the quota of just two overseas players in a team reduces the star power value in the teams.

1. Indian Premier League (IPL)

No surprises here as IPL deservingly tops the chart. Entertaining fans around the globe since 2008, IPL has redefined cricket since its establishment. No amount of money and viewership that the IPL produces is second to none. In fact, it is considered one of the top leagues in the sporting world. The IPL has such power that most of the cricket boards keep their April-May Calendar free so that the players can play the IPL.

One of the biggest pluses of IPL is that fans get to see Indian superstars like Kohli, Dhoni, and Rohit as it’s the only league in which Indian players are allowed to play. At an astonishing brand value of US $6.1 billion (as of 2020), IPL has left every other cricket league far behind. Now, with the addition of two new teams, this brand value is expected to skyrocket to such an amount that the combined brand value of cricket leagues around the world may not be able to match IPL’s value.

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