Cricket is the 2nd most popular sport in the world. From test cricket to ODI cricket and ODIs to T20s, Cricket has shifted rapidly in the last 50 years. T20 leagues are one of the most prominent factors in the growth of cricket globally. The top 5 cricket leagues generate huge fanbase and money for their respective cricket boards. Therefore, cricket leagues are very popular all over the world. Let’s take a brief look at the Top 5 cricket leagues around the globe.
5. The Hundred
The Hundred is a unique cricket league consisting of 100 balls per inning. It was started in 2023 by the England Cricket Board. The Hundred is the best replica of the Vitality Blast T20 for the England Cricket Board. The Hundred consists of 8 teams. Oval Invincibles are the defending champions of The Hundred.
Phil Salt scored the most runs in The Hundred. He scored 707 runs in the recent edition of The Hundred. Adil Rashid is the highest wicket-taker of The Hundred, he took 31 wickets in the last edition of The Hundred. The Hundred brought the ultimate craze in cricket, which is why it is one of the Top 5 cricket leagues.
4. Caribbean Premier League
The Carribean Premier League is the West Indian T20 cricket league, started in 2013. In 11 editions of CPL, Trinbago Knight Riders is the most successful team of CPL. Trinbago Knight Riders won 4 CPL titles. Johnson Charles is the highest run scorer in CPL. He scored 2855 runs in CPL. DJ Bravo is the highest wicket-taker of CPL. He took 114 wickets in CPL. CPL gained 721.8 million viewers from all over the world. Insane viewership and crazy power-hitting make CPL one of the Top 5 cricket leagues in the world.
3. Big Bash League
Big Bash League is an Australian T20 cricket league started in 2011. The most successful team in the Big Bash League is Perth Scorchers, who won 5 titles of the Big Bash League. The highest run scorer of the Big Bash League is Chris Lynn, who scored 3725 runs in the Big Bash League. Sean Abbott is the highest wicket-taker in the Big Bash League. He took 159 wickets in the Big Bash League.
Big Bash League has an active viewership of more than 800,000 annually. Incredible viewership and quality of T20 cricket make the Big Bash League one of the Top 5 cricket leagues in the world.
2. Pakistan Super League
Pakistan Super League is the Pakistan T20 Cricket league, started in 2016. Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United are the most successful teams in the Pakistan Super League. Both teams lifted the Pakistan Super trophy twice. Babar Azam is the highest run scorer in PSL. He scored 2935 runs in the Pakistan Super League.
Wahab Riaz is the highest Wicket taker of the Pakistan Super League, taking 113 wickets in PSL. Pakistan Super League is the only T20 league in the world in which every participant won at least 1 title of PSL. Digital Viewership of the Pakistan Super League in the 2022 edition was 150 million. Pakistan Super League has all the qualities to be in the top 5 cricket leagues worldwide.
1. Indian Premier League
Indian Premier League is one of the most significant cricket events in the world. It was started by BCCI in 2008. Mumbai India and Chennai Super Kings are the joint most successful teams of IPL. Both teams lifted the IPL trophy 5 times.
Virat Kohli scored the most runs in the IPL. He has scored 7263 runs in IPL. Virat Kohli was among the 10 best batters of the Cricket World Cup 2023. Yuzvendra Cahal is the highest wicket-taker in the IPL. He took 187 wickets in IPL. The viewership of IPL 2023 was 505 million just on television. Enormous viewership and highly anticipated games make IPL the most valuable league in the Top 5 cricket leagues of the world.
