2 reasons why IPL is better than BBL, and 2 reasons why BBL is better than IPL

Club culture has taken over the top echelons of cricket, as each of the 8 big Test playing nations has its own T20 club league. India has the Indian Premier League, Pakistan has Pakistan Super League, Bangladesh has the Bangladesh Premier League, Australia has Big Bash League, South Africa has introduced the Mzansi Super League this year while England and Sri Lanka too have T20 leagues in their countries.

Even Afghanistan and Canada got their own T20 leagues recently, which shows how popular and successful this format is.

If we look at the quality of cricket and the level of competition in these leagues, the Big Bash League and the Indian Premier League can be shortlisted as the top two leagues in the world.

However, there has always been a debate between the fans as to which league is better. In this article, we will look at both sides of the coin:

#1 Why IPL is better - Availability of star players

Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni are the key reasons behind IPL's success

The top Indian stars like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya and Shikhar Dhawan always make sure that they are available to represent their teams in the IPL. Not only are the Indian stars the main reasons behind IPL's success, but the organizers also offer them cash-rich contracts.

On the other hand, the pay scale is not that grand in the Big Bash League, and nor do the star players dedicate as much time to play for their BBL teams. The top Aussie players like Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Starc are often busy playing for the Australian team when the BBL is being played, which is one of the main reasons behind their absence.

The BCCI on its part never schedules a series for India during the IPL. That shows how much the board cares for the league's image and prestige.

#1 Why BBL is better - The experience of watching a 'match'

Man! I would watch every game live in the stadium if I get a pool to sit in

Watching an IPL match live in a stadium is an experience that every cricket fan wants to have in his life. The electric atmosphere, the capacity crowd, the towering sixes, the toe-breaking yorkers and the fan clubs guarantee you an experience of a life-time.

But the Australian board offers a better way of watching a BBL game live in the stadium. Apart from the exciting pyrotechnics they showcase during the matches, there are several stuntmen performing mind-blowing stunts during the breaks.

Moreover, the viewing experience in Australian stadiums is way better than in the IPL as there are no grills there, thus providing an unrestricted view.

The difference can be seen by comparing the statistics of the average attendance of both the leagues. In the IPL, the average attendance per match is 26,542, which is just 11 more than the Big Bash League (bear in mind that the BBL teams have much lesser star power than the IPL teams).

#2 Why IPL is better - The playoffs system

The top 2 teams deserve a 2nd chance

In the Indian Premier League, the play-offs system replaced the semi-finals in the 2011 edition. The top two teams of the league stage deservedly get two chances to make it to the final of the tournament.

On the other hand, in the Big Bash league, all the top four teams get an equal chance of making it to the finals. This in a way demotivates the best team of the entire league stage, as despite playing well for over a month, they can be knocked out of the tournament because of just one bad match.

Also, once a team qualifies for the final 4 in the semi-finals system, they rest some of their top players at the end of the league games, thus, giving the fans less competitive matches.

#2 Why BBL is better - The Women's Big Bash League

Women's Big Bash League's captains posing at an official shoot in Sydney

Cricket Australia introduced the Women's Big Bash League in 2015-16, and the league is played in the same format as the men's. The team names are also the same, and it gives good exposure to the young and upcoming female players in Australia.

The Indian women played a T20 match last year on the day of the IPL final in what seemed to be the first step towards the initiation of the Women's IPL. However, till now there has been no further development in that direction, and it is unlikely that the Women's IPL will be held this year.

Looking at the failures of the women's team in the T20 format, the BCCI should consider commencing a T20 league like the IPL for the Indian female cricketers in the near future.

Which league do you think is better, IPL or BBL? Share your views in the comments box below.

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