The IPL doesn’t only attract players to watch. It is also responsible for many other countries looking into launching similar domestic tournaments. These, based on similar styles as the IPL, have already been put in place in some countries, with others in the final stages before their inaugural season.
Ask any cricketer what the IPL stands for, and they will likely reply that it is the most popular cricket tournament in the world. This certainly wouldn’t be an incorrect answer, as the Indian Premier League has fast become the most prominent cricket event on the planet.
Beginning in 2007, the IPL was a small national tournament pitting eight teams against each other. Based on the Twenty20 format, the competition was expected to be a high-adrenaline spectacle filled with humour, excitement, passion, and players giving their all to come out on top.
Founded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the league had its inaugural season in 2008 after following some controversy around a rival tournament called the Indian Cricket League (ICL). With the season being a massive success, it was confirmed it would become an annual event.
Since then, the IPL has experienced unimaginable growth. In 2023, it attracted 32 million viewers via online streaming alone. In total, the tournament is estimated to attract more than 505 million viewers internationally, making it one of the most viewed competitions in the world.
However, the legendary tournament doesn’t only attract players to watch. It is also responsible for many other countries looking into launching similar domestic tournaments. These, based on similar styles as the IPL, have already been put in place in some countries, with others in the final stages before their inaugural season. From Sri Lanka to Nigeria, let’s take a look at these.
The South Asian country of Sri Lanka has long been known for its exceptional cricket talent. With players like Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, and Mahela Jayawardene, the country has ranked well in international tournaments for many years.
In 2018, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) began working on a national IPL-style tournament. Called the Lanka Premier League (LPL), it was to follow a similar format, with one of the main differences being the number of teams it hosted: only five.
Plagued with administrative delays, the tournament was postponed numerous times. The tournament finally kicked off in November 2020 amid the throes of international lockdowns. Enjoying moderate success, further seasons were met with more delays due to the local economic crisis.
Despite these hurdles, the LPL has had four successful seasons, and plans are well underway for the fifth in 2024. Although not nearly as large as the IPL, the LPL already has over 70 international players willing to participate.
South Africa has a deep-seated love of cricket. The nation has been the birthplace of a number of incredible athletes in the sport, such as Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock, Dale Steyn, and AB de Villiers. The country is also no stranger to attempting to launch T20 tournaments using the IPL method.
The country’s first attempt, called the Global League T20, launched in 2017. However, after just one year, the league failed due to severe funding issues. Many thought the league would do well after being replaced by Cricket South Africa (CSA) with the Mzansi Super League in 2018. But after just two seasons, it was cancelled.
The latest attempt at an IPL-style competition is the SA20. Launched in 2022 by Africa Cricket Development (ACD), all teams in the tournament were quickly purchased by franchises from the IPL. In addition to the experience of the local team running the competition, Sundar Raman, the chief operating officer of the IPL at the time, also joined to help organise the tournament.
The tournament has had two successful seasons so far, and many expect it to flourish in the coming years. This is primarily due to the SA20 being heavily invested in by IPL franchises and people who deeply understand how the cricket powerhouse operates.
As the birthplace of cricket, it is no surprise that the UK has tried to emulate the success of the IPL. Strangely, however, the tournament was meant to mimic the successful tournament that began before India launched the competition, making the T20 Blast older than the IPL.
Despite this, the IPL is still aeons ahead of the T20 Blast, which is currently branded the Vitality Blast for sponsorship reasons. Launched in 2003, the competition was launched specifically to increase the viewership of cricket as people lost interest in test and ODI matches.
Hosting 18 teams, the tournament was an immense success and has continued to be an annual event. While similar to the IPL, the main difference is that T20 Blast changes its format annually depending on how many teams are playing. This moves the competition between a two- and three-division tournament to accommodate contesting teams.
Abbreviated as the BBL, the Big Bash League is a Twenty20 competition launched by Cricket Australia in 2011. Replacing the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, which ran from 2005 to 2011, the BBL launched with eight teams competing for victory.
While the previous T20 tournaments Down Under may have left something to be desired, the BBL has done tremendously well. It has been rated (alongside the IPL) as one of the top ten T20 competitions in terms of average attendance.
Since its inception, many discussions have concerned the tournament’s expansion. These have included allowing teams from New Zealand (who run a similar competition called Super Smash). However, none of these expansion plans have come to fruition.
Locally known as the PSL, the Pakistan Super League began in 2015 and was the brainchild of the Pakistan Cricket Board. Hosting six national franchise teams, the tournament has held nine successful seasons, each offering more incredible thrills and viewership than the previous.
Following some controversy, which required the first season to take place in the United Arab Emirates, the league has achieved massive broadcasting success. It is broadcast internationally in more than 100 countries and has gained recognition for its progressive attitude that led it to use the platform to spread cancer awareness.
Nigeria is no stranger to cricket. The country is filled with sports fanatics who love to claim no deposit offers for players available through the country’s extensive iGaming market. This has led to the local cricketing body, Nigeria Cricket Association, discussing the launch of a local IPL-style tournament.
While still in the works, the tournament is scheduled to begin toward the end of 2024 and looks to be shaping up to hold all the excitement of the IPL for Nigeran cricket fans.
