T20 leagues are cricket competitions played in T20 format. The general format of a T20 league is that teams play in a round robin format in order to qualify for the knockout rounds and win the tournament. Each team comprises of players from different nationalities, making it akin to the “club” concept of football. The teams of a particular league represent a particular state or city of the country where the T20 league is held.
Before every league an auction is held which determines the prize cap at which a particular player was bought by the franchise. Each franchise has a set salary cap within which it must purchase the best possible team. In most cases the player contracts run for one year or can be extended up to two years.
The three most popular T20 leagues in the world are Indian Premier League, Big Bash League and Caribbean Premier League.
Indian Premier League (IPL)
The IPL is a T20 league that was first held in 2008 and has been hosted annually since then between the month of March and May. The IPL is the most famous cricketing league in the world and has featured 15 teams in its enthralling history. The tournament’s administrators are the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
As of 2023, 10 teams play the tournament in a round robin format: Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The prize money for the winning team is a whooping $2.5 million USD. The 16th edition of the event will be held in 2023. Out of the fifteen previous editions, Mumbai Indians are the most successful team with 5 titles to their name. Virat Kohli is the highest run-getter and Dwayne Bravo is the most successful bowler.
Big Bash League (BBL)
The Big Bash League is an Australian T20 league that first started in 2011. There are eight teams in the competition: Adelaide Strikers, Brisbane Heat, Hobart Hurricanes, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars, Perth Scorchers, Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunders. Cricket Australia governs the BBL and the winning team gets $450,000. The Perth Scorchers is the most successful side with 5 titles. As of 2023, Chris Lynn has scored the maximum runs and Sean Abbott is the most successful bowler.
Caribbean Premier League (CPL)
The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is the annual T20 league of the Caribbean which started in 2013. A total of 7 teams have played in the league out of which only 1 is defunct. The six teams are Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Saint Lucia Kings and Trinbago Knight Riders. The most successful team of CPL is the Trinbago Knight Riders with 4 titles. Lendl Simmons has scored the most runs and Dwayne Bravo has taken the most wickets as of 2023.
