After football, cricket is definitely the most popular sport in the world today. As the number of participating countries increases, the craze for cricket is skyrocketing. The inception of cricket can be traced back to the 16th century. In today’s time, the sport is governed by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which considers a number of cricket teams and picks only 12 that are given the green signal to participate in varied tournaments that are organized throughout the year. While some tournaments are held on a yearly basis, others are held only once in 2 or 4 years.
If you want to know more about the most popular cricket tournaments that are held in the world today, then this is the right place for you. We bring you a list of tournaments that you can look forward to and enjoy over time with friends and family members. There are several websites that give cricket betting tips in case you want to engage in harmless betting sites. Check out our list and its details in the following few sections:
- Indian Premier League (IPL)
The Indian Premier League is one of the most popular cricket tournaments known today. It is typically held between March and May each year. It is organized by India, with over 8 franchise teams that fight tooth and nail to take the trophy home. Some of the biggest names in the cricket world are seen as a part of the franchise teams. There is some amazing gameplay that can be seen on the screens. The stadiums are typically jam-packed with fans from across the globe each year.
Although it is held in India, the franchise sees players from other international teams that the owners buy to be a part of the team. Fans of all players are seen stacked up in the stadiums, and serious betting is made on the wins and losses of the teams. Apart from this, the IPL has also seen some excellent records being made over time that are cherished and remembered by the fans. Entertainment is always on the rise when it comes to IPL, as celebrities also become a part of the gameplay and showcase their interests.
- The ICC Cricket World Cup
The ICC Cricket World Cup is held every 4 years, where several teams compete with each other to even reach the qualifiers for the ultimate tournament. The last tournament was held in 2023 when Australia beat India in the finals. Although India won all the matches throughout the tournament, they eventually lost in the finals. In 2027, the next World Cup will be held in South Africa. The excitement surrounding the World Cup is very high, and a number of people look forward to watching the matches. People from all over the world travel to sit in the stadiums and cheer for their respective teams.
- The ICC Champions Trophy
The third most popular cricket tournament is the ICC Champions Trophy which the ICC also governs. It is also held every 4 years; the last tournament was in 2017 in England. The next round of the tournament will be held in 2025 in Pakistan, where the teams will compete against each other to prove their worth against some of the biggest cricket teams and players across the globe. Players from all corners of the world participate in this tournament to showcase their worth. Mostly, the decisions on the player list are taken by the individual country’s cricket organizers and captains. However, all players work hard throughout the year to be chosen as a part of the tournament from their own team.
- T20 ICC World Cup
The popularity of the T20 ICC World Cup is as high as the ICC Cricket World Cup. The only difference between the two tournaments is the format. In this World Cup, the matches are 20-20 overs each, just like the IPL, BBL etc. Both teams get 20 overs to prove their worth and gain the trophy that makes them the world champions in cricket. This tournament is also sponsored and promoted by the ICC and the team selection is done by the captains and the selection committee of the respective countries. The World Cup is held every 2 years, and in 2024, it was hosted by the US and West Indies, in which India lifted the trophy as high as in the sky after their big loss of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2023.
- Big Bash League
Like IPL, the BBL is also a franchise-based tournament in which there are 8 participating teams from the different states of Australia. Players are bought from different international teams to be a part of the franchise teams. They play against each other to lift the trophy at the end of the tournament. Just like in IPL, the names of the players who participate in the trophy are also very prestigious. However, the popularity of BBL is not as high as that of IPL, even though BBL was launched much before the IPL. The format of both the tournaments is 20-20 overs, and the tournament is held each year. The typical time of the tournament is from December to February.
Apart from the above-mentioned tournaments, there are several other popular tournaments that are held in the world of cricket. Along with the World Cup and franchise matches, there are also small one-on-one matches in terms of tours that are done by international cricket teams. There are also test matches that are played by these cricket teams in which 2 innings are given to each team over the course of 5 days to win a particular match. The restriction on the number of balls or overs is not too high. The Asia Cup is another important tournament that cannot be ignored. The Asian cricket teams are typically part of this, and it is also held annually in March.