Big Bash League (BBL) also known as the KFC Big Bash League is the domestic men’s T20 cricket league of Australia in which eight teams participate. which was established in 2011 by Cricket Australia.
The first season of BBL took place in 2011 and from then onwards BBL became one of the best domestic cricket leagues in the world. 8 teams represent the 8 city-based franchises.
History and Format
The Big Bash League replaced the previous competition, the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, and has eight city-based franchises instead of the six state teams which had participated in the previous league. The competition is sponsored by fast food-chicken outlet KFC since the first edition. In 2016/17 BBL along with the Indian Premier League featured among the top ten domestic sports leagues in terms of average attendance. The tournament takes place during Australian summer i.e., December, January & February. The winners of the first edition of BBL were Sydney Sixers whereas the most successful team in BBL history is Perth Scorchers, as it has won the tournament 5 times.
Currently, eight teams participate in the BBL. The double round-robin format is followed. It means each team plays each other twice at home and away and the top 5 teams will qualify for the playoffs. The playoffs stage of BBL is quite different as compared to the other leagues. In this format, the fourth-placed team will play the fifth-placed team in an Eliminator and the loser of the match will be eliminated. Then comes the qualifier game between the first-placed team and the second-placed team. The winner of the qualifier goes straight into the finals whereas the loser stays in the game. After that is the knockout game in which the winner of the eliminator plays with the third-placed team. The winner of the match goes to the challenger match and the loser gets eliminated. Then the loser of the qualifier plays with the winner of the knockout match and the winner of that match advances to the finals of the tournament.
The Eliminator (Elimination Final)- Fourth v Fifth
The Qualifier (Second Semi-Final)- First v Second
The Knock-Out (First Semi-Final)- Third v Winner of The Eliminator
The Challenger (Preliminary Final)- Loser of The Qualifier v Winner of The Knock-Out
The Final (Grand Final)- Winner of The Qualifier v Winner of The Challenger
Teams and Players
1. Perth Scorchers: Ashton Turner (Captain)
Key players:
- Mitchell Marsh
- Andrew Tye
- Cameron Green
- Faf Du Plessis
2. Sydney Sixers: Moises Henriques (Captain)
Key Players:
- Steve Smith
- Nathon Lyon
- Chris Jordan
- Steve O’Keefe
3. Adelaide Strikers: Travis Head (Captain)
Key Players:
- Alex Carey
- Chris Lynn
- Rashid Khan
- Peter Siddle
4. Hobart Hurricanes: Matthew Wade (Captain)
Key Players:
- D’Arcy Short
- Tim David
- Nathan Ellis
- Shadab Khan
5. Brisbane Heat: Jimmy Pierson (Captain)
Key Players:
- Usman Khawaja
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Sam Billings
- Colin Munro
6. Melbourne Renegades: Nic Maddinson (Captain)
Key Players:
- Aaron Finch
- Shaun Marsh
- Andre Russell
- Martin Guptill
7. Melbourne Stars: Glenn Maxwell (Captain)
Key Players:
- Marcus Stoinis
- Adam Zampa
- Trent Boult
- Nathan Coulter Nile
8. Sydney Thunder: Jason Sangha (Captain)
Key Players:
- Ben Cutting
- David Warner
- Daniel Sams
- Alex Hales
Memorable Moments and Records
Moments:
- Glenn Maxwell’s Inexplicable Leave.
- Lasith Malinga Claims Figures 6-7.
- Scorchers Win BBL|04 in Dramatic Fashion.
- Chris Lynn Hits Five Straight Sixes.
- Chris Gayle’s 12-Ball Half-Century.
- Marcus Stoinis Bludgeons Record-Breaking 147*.
Records:
- Most Runs – Chris Lynn
- Most Wickets – Ben Laughlin
- Most Catch – Jordan Silk
Impact on Australian Cricket
- Popularity
The BBL has become extremely popular among fans because of the quality of cricket being played. The popularity can be observed by the attendance as the stadiums are full.
- Increased viewership
Viewership of the previous BBL tournaments was both from TV and digital but this season many more people watched digitally. Its viewership has also attracted many non-cricket fans as well.
- Showcase of Talent
Many youngsters showed their talents in the BBL. The league provided a great platform for the young guns as well as for the players who lost their spot on the national side.
Conclusion
BBL is one of the best franchise leagues in the world in terms of viewership & attendance. 8 teams participate in the league. It replaced the old tournament in which 6 teams participated. It provides a great platform for the players to show their talent and also has a positive impact on Cricket Australia. South Asian countries like – Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, etc. can watch the BBL on Sony Six HD & Sony Liv. The league’s highlights are also available on YouTube and Facebook.
