The growth of the Indian Premier League, IPL, was such that it defined franchise cricket. The IPL has been the talk of the town since the inaugural season due to the quality of the matches and the huge number of players who have come to play in the tournament.
Starting as a franchise cricket league, the IPL has now grown to the extent that it has even influenced the ICC’s cricket calendar. Many franchise leagues came before and after the IPL, but none gained as much popularity as the IPL.
But the emergence of new tournaments is likely to challenge the IPL’s monopoly on franchise cricket leagues. The most challenging among these is Pakistan Super League (PSL). PSL is fast approaching the throne of IPL.
Let’s check out the franchise leagues that are rapidly rising in popularity.
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
This season of the Pakistan Super League was full of all the excitement of kids cricket. PSL has enthralled cricket fans with many 200+ runs and last ball thrillers.
It is possible to add to this the statement of Pakistan Cricket Board chief Najam Sethi that they have more viewers than IPL on digital platforms.
Sethi claims that over 150 million people watch PSL through digital platforms. Sethi also says that IPL has 130 million viewers.
Although no Pakistani players are playing in IPL, fans of Pakistani players in India follow PSL. Many videos of PSL are going viral here. PSL is currently in the race to catch up with IPL in terms of popularity, but there are opinions from some quarters that it may surpass IPL in the future.
The Hundred
The Hundred entered the T20 format with various changes. What sets this league apart from other franchise leagues in England is that only 20 overs of five balls, or 100 balls are bowled in an innings.
The league, which started playing last year, became an instant attraction due to these rules.
The fans have embraced the new franchise league born from England, the birthplace of cricket. Fans are waiting for the second season of The Hundred, which has shortened the format even further.
SA 20
SA 20, the South African counterpart of the IPL, is the new opponent of the Indian Premier League. The charm of South African cricket makes this league a fan favourite.
The fact that the IPL franchises are the owners of the SA20 is the reason why this league is gaining fans, including in India. The cricket world is waiting for the new season of SA 20 which received great support from the fans in the first season itself.
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