Twenty20 cricket has almost hijacked the cricketing world. This format and this concept originally rolled out by the England and Wales cricket board in 2003. Back then, it was more like a hit and miss game, primarily aimed at increasing the reach of the game. Even the players were not very serious about the format and for them it was more like a day out with friends in front of an audience.
However, in 2007 this format saw a change, and cricket as a result changed. The World T20 in South Africa revealed the true worth and potential of this condensed format. Just like that, the level of competition, the players focus and everything around the game flicked another switch, and this was a serious brand of cricket.
And then came the Indian Premier League, which down the years has only gone from strength to strength. That the IPL has changed the dimension of cricket will not be an understatement by any means. 3 hours of blaring music, the jazz and then there is cricket sandwiched between them.
Franchise system was dabbled into for the very first time, and there is absolutely no surprise that different countries around the world have tried to start their own T20 leagues.
We take a look at the top 5 leagues in the world and have ranked them accordingly.
#5 Ram Slam T20 (South Africa)
This competition was first contested in 2003-04 and has seen the participation of 6 franchise teams. It is one of the oldest tournaments, and thus the fact that it has not yet managed to carve out a niche for itself is nothing but a crying shame.
Although, the general public in South Africa have been quite receptive of the format, the sight of the empty stand all throughout the tournament is sore to the eyes. The main reason behind this is the fact that this tournament somehow does not get top quality international players into its fold. Also, marquee South African players give the tournament a miss, owing to the hectic schedule. Even if they do turn up, it is only for sporadic matches which are few and far in between.
Hence, there is no euphoria around when the Ram Slam is going on, few do not even bother to gather information about the champions and stuff. There is no denying the possibility of a more grand tournament in the years to come, but for now, there is a lot of catching up to do, both in the marketing terms as well as the level of players turning out for their respective franchises.
#4 NatWest T20 Blast (England)
For a nation which is credited with introducing the T20 format, England have fallen way behind the pecking order with its domestic T20 competition. And there are visible factors too, but surprisingly the authorities are still very content with this format.
For starters, the format is a very long one as it does not have a franchise system in place. The various counties battle it out for supremacy, a process which is a far cry for the action-packed franchise system. Factor this: As many as 18 teams take part in the competition, which is almost thrice as the number of teams taking part in an IPL or a BBL. This makes the format so long that the fans find it difficult to keep track of their respective teams.
And then there is a small matter of the scheduling. All the T20 matches will be played on weekends, and while this is concept formulated to attract audiences, it is also a format which takes a lot out of the players who have to constantly tune themselves to the fast-paced nature of the shortest format, as they have been playing either County Championships or Domestic One Day competitions.
However, the quality of cricket is something which is top notch and this is why we rank them above Ram Slam.
#3 Big Bash League (Australia)
Dynamic cricket, involved audience, bullish marketing and frenzy all over, the keys of success of the Big Bash League in Australia.
Cricket Australia quickly learnt that with the advent of IPL, there was no point in holding the eroded version of the state-wise T20 tournament. They got their acts together, meticulously planned everything and now they are reaping benefits.
The time slot is critical to their success, it is the festive season in and around Christmas and New Year when holidays are on and families can afford to come out and enjoy three hours of intense cricket. The league has forged partnerships with brands like Warner Brothers, a massive achievement considering their target audiences are the youth and the school going kids.
These initiatives have all contributed and in the 5 years since its inception, the BBL has established a brand for himself.
#2 Caribbean Premier League (West Indies)
The latest to join the T20 bandwagon is the Caribbean Premier League, and within 3 years it has become what many believe to be "the biggest party in sports".
And then there are obvious reasons behind the success. The biggest one is the involvement of West Indian players, the most loved bunch of cricketers all over the globe. This and the fact that they are the current World T20 champions has added to the charm of cricket.
No wonder, many International stars have been snapped up by the franchises and this is adding many lures to the competition.
Also, West Indies has always been a passionate place for cricket. Looking at the crowds and feeling the vibe of the Caribbean public during the ongoing CPL T20, one can only wonder the passion erupting when the Golden Era team would have been at their pomp.
So much passion for the game, so much interest, tremendous attitude, all accompanied with music, rhythmic beats and smiling faces. The factors that are making CPL one of the hottest properties in the game.
And the interest is on the rise, with the likes of Shah Rukh Khan and Vijay Mallya buying stakes in the different teams is an indication of the growing popularity of the league.
#1 Indian Premier League (India)
Few might argue that it was the Indian Premier League which shook cricket out of its perceived slumber, and has since maintained its charm. All the while the league has had its share of controversy and shady moments, but nothing has wiped off the popularity of the league.
Also, the clout of BCCI helps, as it manages to hold the IPL during a phase when there are no International games on, and this allows all the top players to come and be part of the festivities. In a cricket crazy nation like India, any reason to watch cricket will be grasped and this is where the IPL has found its success.
Most certainly the biggest event in franchise cricket, the IPL remains to be a benchmark for other countries to follow and learn!
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